


Fix Me

by markenma



Series: Mary Lane [1]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Kidnapping, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Content, Murder, Past Relationship(s), Some Humor, Stalking, Suicide, Torture, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-16
Updated: 2019-07-22
Packaged: 2020-05-31 06:14:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 22,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19420132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/markenma/pseuds/markenma
Summary: Mary Lane is one of the Hargreeves' family friends. She was a gift to her mother. She had the power to heal- to repair what was lost. Because of her mother's gift she also had the power of money- to buy things. The influence to change things.She couldn't fix those dear to her.She couldn't change what she did wrong.She couldn't see the bigger picture.





	1. Prologue

The office was clean and organized. It had the faint smell of the mint mixed in with a humidifier. I sat comfortably on the padded chair as the woman across me with a clipboard gives me a small smile. This wasn't the first time I was in here. Vanessa, my current guardian, insisted I get checked occasionally as I live with my friends' family. I licked my lips nervously as the woman clicks her pen.

"Mary. What relations do you have with the Hargreeves family?" She had asked me.

"They're my family." I had replied simply.

"Care to elaborate?" She continued.

"There's nothing to elaborate. I'm their sister." Her pen stopped writing and she looked at me.

"What about your mother?" She asks.

"She's my old family." I replied simply.

"She's still your family." She continues.

"She's dead." 

Silence emanated throughout the room. She looked at me warily.

"I protect the Hargreeves family." I continued. "My soul purpose is to fix them."

"Fix them?"

I nodded.

Death Count: 34


	2. The Beginning

I was raised by a loving mother. She was at the age of 28 when she had me on the first of October. Being raised alone by my grandmother, my mother convinced herself that she would never find comfort in the arms of a man. I was the sign she needed to convince herself that she could have a happy family all on her own. With just the two of us, my mom raised me diligently with what little time she could give me because of her growing company. I was eight years old when I first met Sir Reginald Hargreeves, the eccentric billionaire who frequently made relations with my mother’s growing company. He took great interest in the company mainly because of me, a child born on the same day as the rest of his children. My mother outright refused to hand me to him but with a lot of negotiation was managed to be convinced to participate in the Umbrella Academy’s activities.

“Children. I want you to meet Mary Lane.” The old gentleman gestured towards me and I hid behind my mother. I peeked from behind her skirt and immediately ducked when I made eye contact with one of the seven children in front of me. “Just like you she was born with an extraordinary gift.

“Why don’t you show them Mary?” Reginald finished firmly. I looked up at my mother who smiled at me. She granted me a nod of approval before I brought a knife out. I nervously cut my palm, showing it to the other children. Blood trickled down my skin before it stopped, the source being completely cut away. I heard a couple gasps of amazement. The cut was completely gone.

My eyes fluttered open albeit my lids still being heavy. The sun peeked through the glass confines of my office and I groaned. I pinched the bridge of my nose and sat properly on my swivel chair. I breathed in and glanced at my laptop’s clock. I lazily took my mug of cold coffee and took a sip. It was warm when it was brewed. I looked at the pile of paperwork on my desk and chuckled to myself, thinking that normally these huge stacks of paperwork only existed in cartoons. They were tucked neatly at the table, indicating that all besides the single folder beside my laptop was the only one I haven’t attended to yet. I fixed myself slapped my cheeks with both of my palms, waking me up. I looked at the folder and my laptop. Ah, I must’ve finished this before I slept. The exhaustion must’ve caught up with me.

I placed the folder carefully at the finished pile. I stood and stretched before grabbing my mug and going over to my office’s pantry and emptied the long forgotten coffee into the sink. I was met by the building’s head custodian who gave me a sad smile. I liked him. 

“Why the long face Andie?” I questioned, pinching his cheeks. The old man laughed.

“You should stop sleeping in your office Miss Lane. It’s not good for your body.” He started.

“Well I need to finish work.” I replied shrugging.

“You can pay anyone to do your work.” He said firmly. “Or at least some of it. Your mother wouldn’t like to see you working yourself sick.”

“You know I love you Andie,” I smiled at him sadly. “But I’m sure Mom is happy I’m taking over the company how she would.”

He sighed, defeated. He scratched his temple, ruffling a couple of his grey locks. He didn’t want to push this further. I’m glad he didn’t. 

“Don’t worry too much about me Andie.” I kissed his temple and ruffled his hair. “I’m going to take better care of myself for you okay?”

He smiled at the thought, though he knew fully well rare things ever hinder my will to work. I waved him goodbye before returning to my office where I sat down my chair with a flop. I sighed and sunk into it further before grabbing my phone. I had two missed calls. I proceeded to call back, humming. This number didn’t usually call me that often. Not since-

“Pogo? What’s up? Did something happen?” I started.

“I apologise for such short notice Miss Lane but we need your presence in the Academy. Something came up.”

I raised a brow.

“Did Sir Hargreeves call for me?” I tapped my desk nervously, wondering what the old man had wanted now. 

“Yes.” I grumbled in response to his answer. “You can say that.”

“I’ll be there in a couple hours.” I rolled my eyes and started packing my things.

“Thank you Miss Lane.”

“I’ll take time off and I should be there in a bit.”

“I’m looking forward to see you Miss Lane.”

I arrived in the Academy extremely early in the morning after handling a bunch of phone calls. I was met by the sad smile of Grace. I hugged her and saw Pogo who nodded with a sad smile. Something was up. I entered the house’s threshold and followed Pogo towards Reginald Hargreeves’ bed where he lied lifeless. I dropped my bag. I gasped and looked at Pogo who nodded.

“What the fuck happened?” I nearly exclaimed. I shook my head. This is why I’m here, to figure this out. This man took me in when my mother died. It was surreal to see him there lifeless and clutching his chest. I put on a pair of gloves and moved over to him. I hesitantly placed my hand over the one clutching his chest and let my power flew threw him. I closed my eyes looking for places it was supposed to repair. I felt it surge to the nerves, muscles and every corner of his body. There were a lot of things to be repaired but I found something else. The heart.

“It looks like it’s related to the heart.” I had started. “A heart attack?”

That’s weird. There had to be more to it. He was healthy the last time I saw him, no indications of any health issues and he didn’t show signs at all. Pogo nodded.

“Thank you Miss Lane.” He had smiled at me. “We wanted your opinion first before we go to the coroner.”

“No problem.” I looked at him confused. “When I was last here Sir Reginald didn’t show any signs of heart problems but then again.”

I looked at the corpse that once was Reginald Hargreeves.

“He never let me examine him.” I whispered.

“I believe it is time to set the funeral arrangements.” Pogo had started. I patted his shoulder. He was probably the one who loved Reginald most.

“Let me help you Pogo.” I smiled weakly at him as he nodded. “It’s time to get the family together.”


	3. I Used To Be Her Friend

I was often envious of some of the Hargreeves children when I grew up. I didn’t want to be the healer at the sides even though that gave me opportunity to talk to the quiet musician of the family. I remembered I liked braiding the brunette’s hair whenever we would wait for the other siblings to come. It was another day of us patiently waiting for the other children as we sat on the side lines.

“Hey Vanya.” I called. She replied with a hum. “Can you teach me how to play the violin someday?”

“Sure.” Vanya smiled at me as I finished the braid on her hair. I put a couple of flowery clips on it and clapped. “Why do you want to learn all of a sudden?”

“My mom always teaches me how to run the family business,” I started. “Her assistant told me I was doing well for my age but I wa0nt to do more stuff than just punching numbers.”

“Well you heal everyone up until they’re better.” Vanya remarked. She bowed her head a little. “I’m kind of jealous that you have a power. Sometimes I hear some of them say that you should’ve been the sister instead.”

“Don’t listen to them. They have poo brains.” I huffed and put my hands on my hips. At that time, that was the most eloquent insult I had and I was rather proud of it. I remembered always feeling bad about Vanya and how she got left out of everything because she didn’t have a power. “No one can play the violin better than you can!”

I had always loved the reclusive girl. She was silent and kept to herself. She rarely showed emotion which made me all the more happier when I made her laugh. When she published her autobiography I remembered being in the middle of my cycle. My cycle consisted of working for days on end and taking it easy for the next couple of days. My mom’s assistant Vanessa called me while I was going through my work e-mails. I made the time after the end of my work cycle to read her book. It brought me to memories of childhood where I comforted a lot of the Hargreeves siblings because of their father’s extreme parenting. I wasn’t safe from it completely. Sir Reginald would push me to my limits by letting me practice on corpses with extreme damage. I found my days in the morgue, repairing gruesome murders and accidents to the point where they would look presentable, as if it hadn’t happened. The sight, the stench and the horror of the experience was forever ingrained in my memory. Sometimes I would spend my days barely able to walk because of the toll my powers take on my body. When I close my eyes I would remember the faces of those tortured dead of victims I knew I could never save. I was surprised to see a part of me written in her book. I became upset with her for a while.

“Hey Vanya.” I had asked one day, combing her long hair. “Do you think I’m part of your family?”

“Of course! You’re like a sister to us.” Vanya had grinned. “Don’t worry. Even if your mom is gone we’ll be here for you.”

Those words had comforted me, a newly orphaned child. I smiled at her as I parted her hair.

“Hey Mary! We’re playing tag!” Allison yelled. I stood and left the half braided hair alone and ran towards the group of children.

“Mary?”

She was reserved and kept a lot to herself but I would love the times she would open up some of her problems to me. It made it all the more painful when I read her book, knowing I was present all those times and she couldn’t find it in her heart to open up to me.

A painful reminder that I still didn’t belong to a family anymore.

“Hey Allison.” I nodded dressed in a black pantsuit and a white collared blouse with a black coat hanging on my shoulders. My light brown hair was pulled into a bun. I hugged the taller woman, her honey curly locks tickling my cheeks.

“So is it really a heart attack?” Allison looked at me. I kept her gaze and sighed.

“I couldn’t find anything else.” I replied. “I’m glad you can make it for the funeral.”

“Thanks for the ticket.” Allison smiled. “I could’ve paid you know.”

“You don’t want a free plane ticket?” I raised a brow, nudging her. “Didn’t like the champagne on board?”

She rolled her eyes. “Weird flex Mary.”

I chuckled.

“Did you call the others?” Allison asked.

“I called anyone I can.” 

**Vanya Hargreeves**

The rain started to pick up when I saw my childhood friend’s face plastered on the TV. Below the video of her talking was the headlines of Reginald Hargreeve’s death.

“Miss Lane! Miss Lane! What are the circumstances of Sir Reginald Hargreeves’ death?”

“Was there any suspect of foul play?”

“What will happen to his shares of your company?”

“Everyone. As much as I would love to answer your questions we will keep the affair private and exclusive to friends and family only. I will personally attend to the funeral arrangements with some of his children.”

Mary looked young as ever, maybe due to her abilities. She still looked like she was in her mid 20s. The rain picked up and I couldn’t see the report anymore. I was dumbfounded merely by the fact dad died. I found it weird that Mary was called first but then again she was like a walking coroner. After her mom died she looked for a father figure. I’m guessing that she found that in Dad more than any of his actual children could. I remembered she always felt indebted to him in some way or the other despite my insistence that she had only gone downhill from her mother to him. Seeing her again triggered a memory.

“Vanya. Come on. Let’s go and play with the others.” Mary had held my hand ushering me to go to them. I held my violin tightly and shook my head, a sad smile on my face.

“Mary.” We both turned to see my father, looking stern as ever. “Time for your private training.”

She groaned and looked at me. I nodded. “I’ll see you later?”

“Yeah!” She had exclaimed happily before leaving with my father.

When I saw her I had always wondered what it was like to have a family that loved you dearly as much as her mother did. I wondered what it was like to have a parent that cared for your well-being.

A part of me remembered her smile as she ran through my hair when we were children. I had the illusion that she was just like me, pushed aside. I quickly forgot about that when she was called to assist the others. It reminded me all the while that I still wasn’t special.

**Mary Lane**

“It’s nice to see you again Luther.” I examined his features, he certainly gained some mass after the incident. He bowed his head.

“And you Mary.” He started, his eyes shifted around. “What happened?”

“Heart attack.” I replied simply. “Pogo had me check and that’s as simple as it gets.”

“Thank you Mary.” I couldn’t read the blonde’s expression. He seemed distant and seemed to be gone even though I was in front of him. “Did they clean Dad’s room?”

I shook my head. Pogo said that Sir Hargreeves didn’t want his room touched. “No. Your dad didn’t want anything out of place apparently.”

“Thanks. Do you mind if I go and-?”

I raised a brow and waved him off, smiling. “No it’s fine. Ask Pogo for a phone my contact is there if you need anything. You must have it hard adjusting from the moon.”

He nodded slightly. I found a suspicious glint in his eye. I knew Luther. He didn’t trust me. I just hoped he wasn’t thinking what I thought he is implying. I shrugged it off.

“Anyway go ahead and settle down. I’m going to go out and fix a couple things regarding your father’s shares in my company.” I gave him one last forced smile before I go. When I was out the door I breathed in, allowing the cool air kiss my cheeks. I looked at my phone, wondering if Luther would ever contact me.

“You pulled a couple muscles and you have a couple scratches from jumping off the roof.” Younger me had said, wearing a blue scrub suit.

“That’s for jumping through the roof.” Allison called in line. I snickered as Luther avoided her glare. I clapped my hands together.

“You’re done.” I smiled at him. He was about to say something when Sir Hargreeves entered and examined my work.

“Well done Mary.” The older man commented. Luther’s expression changed and he ran off without saying a word. 

Present day, I breathed in and sunk in my seat when the last of the board of directors left the meeting room. I closed my eyes and gathered my thoughts. Sir Reginald didn’t exactly leave a will which made him a bigger headache even in death. I started to wonder if any of his children would even go visit the academy. There were a couple already, but I wonder if all of them will. The last time I saw them was at Allison’s wedding where I remember catching the bouquet.

I stretched my hand and examined my fingers. No ring.

I looked at my messages and saw nothing. I didn’t know what to think.

I arrived at the parking lot with a lot of thoughts running through my head. I got into my car with a heavy feeling in my hands. I shook it off and opened the radio, enjoying the noise as I soon drove off. A memory crossed my mind.

“Today we are going to practice search and rescue.” Reginald Hargreeves’ voice echoed through the living room. I remembered trying to stifle my giggle as his six children lined up in front of him and Vanya stood beside him. I was hidden in a closet in the same room. I had thought it ingenious to hide in the same room with everyone particularly thinking I could be anywhere in the house. “Your job as heroes is to locate victims and assure their safety. You will have 30 minutes to look for Mary in the house and assume she is out of commission.”

When the whistle echoed through the halls I put my hand over my mouth keeping as quiet as I can. When a quick flash of light emitted before me my eyes widened at Five with his wide smug smile. My eyes locked their gaze at his blue ones.

“Found you.”

I shook my head at the memory, watching the road. I was at an intersection and the light was red. I tapped my fingers impatiently. Soon the light changed green and I drove forward. I sighed as I inched closer to the academy, the familiar building appearing.

Everything happened so fast. A large series of horns invaded my ears and I turned to see a pair of headlights barreling towards me. A glaringly red sports spread through the opposite lane. It was turning but I was caught in its path. A silhouette appeared in front of me and then beside me. A hand on my shoulder before I knew it I was in the Academy. I blinked and saw the familiar blue eyes.

“F-Five?”  


I looked around and saw the siblings with shocked faces.

“Long story short I arrived from the future.” An ambulance’s sirens echoed pass, and a couple of police cruisers. I shook my head and ran my hand down my face. My headache was getting work.

“Why hello Mary!” Klaus had waved in a singsong voice. I stared at him in disbelief. Was he wearing a skirt?

“Why’d you teleport me here?” I turned to Five questioningly.

“You were going to die.”

“Wait how did you know?” Allison raised a brow. Five rolled his eyes and continued eating his sandwich.

“Again. The future.”

“How did you know where to find her?” Diego spoke up.

“What part of the future do you guys not understand? I saw it in a headline in a newspaper I found in the future.” Five grew annoyed. He looked at the paper on the table checking the front page. “Guess I missed the funeral.”

“How’d you know that?” Luther questioned.

“What part of the future do you not understand?” Five narrowed his eyes at the blonde. “Heart failure, huh?”

“Yep.” I spoke up.

“No.” I looked at Luther.

“I checked him myself Luther.” I remarked.

“Nice to know nothing’s changed.” Five said before walking off.

“That’s it? That’s all you have to say?” Allison called after him. I followed him.

“What else is there to say? The circle of life.” Five said.

“Wait Five I have to talk to you.” I matched his pace as he walked. He was making his way to his room.

“What do we need to talk about?” Five raised a brow.

“For one! My death.” I felt my voice rising. “I wanted to thank you.”

“Thanks noted.” Five said dismissively before running off towards his room leaving me in the staircase. My phone rang. It was my secretary, Vanessa.

“Hello?”

“MARY LANE YOU EXPLAIN TO ME WHY YOUR EMPTY CAR CRASHED.”

I groaned.

“Can you just keep the press quiet? Bribe the police or whatever tell them I was framed.” I pinched the bridge of my nose.

“MARY LANE.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is intended to be a romance with Mary and Klaus. Though Klaus doesn't have much of a role right now he will in the next few chapters.


	4. The One I Couldn't Get

“Mary!” I yelped when I felt someone spin me around. I locked eyes with Klaus Hargreeves, a smile on his lips. His eyeliner was kind of smudged and I looked at his arm.

“Did you just get out of rehab?” I questioned. “You didn’t call me to pick you up.”

He snorted waving it off. “There was no need dear.”

He linked his arms with mine, his small transparent umbrella in his hand.

“Did you miss me?” He commented playfully. “I was in a teensy hurry when we last met.”

“Don’t remind me.” I cut him off, giving him a forced smile. “But yes I missed you Klaus.”

“Me or my body?” He wiggled his eyebrows. I slapped his arm.

“Ouch!”

When I was a kid my mother raised me conservatively. She raised me to be a business woman whilst in the Academy I was aspiring to be a doctor. My healing could have saved a lot of people. I remembered seeing Klaus after he had gone from the mausoleum and he was curled up in a ball crying. Sir Reginald had sent me to observe something. I, being a clueless teenager, ran to his side and hugged him. He immediately tightened his grip on me screaming because of the ghosts.

“Try healing him Mary.” I looked at Reginald disbelievingly and had my power soothe his body, looking for any damages.

I knew I couldn’t heal emotional wounds.

Klaus still clutched to me for his dear life, still crying. I watched as Reginald Hargreeves jotted something down in his journal turning and leaving us in the dark mausoleum.

Present day, this was a memorial service befitting of Reginald Hargreeves. In short it was the most pathetic memorial service I have ever attended. I locked my eyes on the sad pile of ashes on the ground. I held a black umbrella over my head beside Klaus. I found myself sandwiched between Five and Klaus as we watched the altercation between Diego and Luther. Tasteful. I had commented in my head.

“My money is on the big guy.” I whispered to Klaus who snickered.

“He had to ship you a million miles away.” Diego stood close to Luther, a scowl on his face.

“Diego stop talking.” Luther said firmly, not disguising his distaste.

“That’s how much he couldn’t stand the sight of you!” Diego exclaimed.

And here we go. Luther swapped Diego’s hand away. I rolled my eyes as we all stepped back, Klaus protectively putting arm over me and Five to which Five swatted his hand away, shooting him an annoyed look.

“Come on big boy!” Diego taunted.

“Stop it!” Vanya yelled.

“Hit him! Hit him!” Klaus added fuel to the fire. I kept my mouth shut. They continued on their onslaught drawing dangerously near Ben’s statue. Five had left by this point. I bit my nails watching the exchange. I brought out a 20. When Diego avoided Luther’s final blow the punch landed on Ben’s statue, causing it to fall and break the head off.

“And there goes Ben’s statue.” Allison said unamused.

“Sir Reginald please let me do it.” I had remembered the tears roll on my cheeks as the other kids held me back. Reginald Hargreeves didn’t bother looking at me.

“There’s no use. You cannot bring back the dead.” He was writing on his journal. I gritted my teeth.

“You don’t know if I can now! I’ve been practicing.” I argued.

“Then bring your mother back.”

He looked at me coldly. I couldn’t. I looked down. He knew I couldn’t. She was just ashes now. But Ben still had a body. I could still.

“Leave at once Miss Lane.”

I stormed off seeing the sight of the statue broken, reminding me of what I had failed to do. I breathed in, pulled my phone out and dialed for a cab, not wanting any of the memories to start pouring in again.

I was in my penthouse fixing myself a cup of coffee staring blankly at the painting that adorned my wall. It was me when I was four years old and my mother was hugging me, a big smile on her face. It had a white bordered minimalistic frame. I looked at it longingly, missing my mother’s comfort at these times. I missed her warmth. It was a somber reminder that Reginald Hargreeves or Grace could have never replaced the love of a parent. A knock on my door disrupted my thoughts. I shook my head and stood, opening the door. There stood Klaus grinning and immediately crashing on my couch.

“We would like waffles please! Not the frozen kind.” Klaus sang. I rolled my eyes and went to the fridge.

“You know I can’t cook Klaus.” I called and took a pack of waffles. I ripped them out of their packaging and threw them on the oven. I turned it on, not even bothering to look at the temperature. I set it to about a minute. That seemed like enough time to cook waffles right?

I poured a sachet of instant hot chocolate and poured in hot water, handing it to him.

“Danke.” Klaus sat up flashing me a smile. He grimaced coughing powder.

“Forgot to mix it.” I gave him a cheeky smile. He groaned.

“Where’s Clarisse?” I raised a brow.

“The household help?” I asked him. He nodded.

“Yeah. She made best pancakes last time I was here.” He said dreamily setting the cup down.

“She made you pancakes?” I sipped my coffee.

“Yeah. The soft and fluffy kind.” I could see his mouth water.

“Well she doesn’t go in the evening.” I stood when I heard a familiar ting in the kitchen. I grabbed the waffle and set it on a plate. He grabbed one hungrily and bit it. He groaned.

“This hasn’t been cooked through.” He whined.

“Told you I couldn’t cook.” I replied patting his back. I went to the spiral stairs at the corner of the living room. “I’m going to bed.”

“You want me to join you?” He called. I slammed the door of my room in response locking it. When I turned I saw Five and held my heart.

“Shit. You almost gave me a heart attack.” I cursed.

“Nice place you got here.” Five examined my room, sitting at the chair in the corner. Beside that was a wall full of different sized framed pictures of me with other people. “So Klaus crashes here?”

He had an amused look on his face. I avoided his gaze.

“We had a relationship.” I replied air quoting the word relationship. “Relationships.”

“I assume you ended up happily ever after.” He gave me a wry smile.

“I wish.” I huffed.

“I need your help.” Five started

“First you need to tell me what’s happening.” I examined him on the small chair. I gave him a concerned glance when I saw blood on his uniform. I sat beside him quickly. “You’re hurt. Let me help you.”

He took his blazer off and showed me his wound. It was dressed, albeit not professionally. I took the dressings off and I cupped the wound with my hand and concentrated. I looked at him, making eye contact.

“I came back from the future.” He told me. I narrowed my eyes at him. “I was stuck there for about 45 years. I arrived on the day of the apocalypse."

“Apocalypse?” I truly didn’t know how to assess the situation.

“Yes. The future a complete shit hole.” He handed me a dirty clipping. I saw the headline. Remembering Billionaire Heiress Mary Lane and her Family’s Legacy.

I didn’t know what to say. “Thank you?”

“I have reason to believe this isn’t just some accident. Whoever wants you dead might be in correlation to the apocalypse.” Five stood playing with something in his hand. “Do you know anyone who might want you dead?”

“A lot of people, Five. It’s part of being the head of a company.” I bit my lip, placing my hands on my thighs. “How does my death revolve around the apocalypse?”

“I don’t know yet but if I’m right they’d have to look for a different way for the apocalypse to happen. If they come and try to kill you it means your death is more significant.”

“What do you mean ‘they’?” I asked him.

“It’s better if you don’t know.” Five said firmly. I didn’t want to argue.

I was slowly taking it in. I took a deep breath. Five eyed me intently. “Well I do owe you for saving my life. Twice now. What can I do to help?”

He smiled. I thought to myself if I were too passive. If I was accepting this all too fast.

“I need to know where you are at all times to make sure you won’t die.” Five clapped his hands together. “Or be killed. You’ll stay at the academy. It's safer there. They'll know where to find you if you stay here."

"I haven't stayed there in years." I commented, remembering the old guestroom Reginald Hargreeves granted me upon my mother's death. I had to admit I was a frail child. To me, the Hargreeves' was the closest thing I could have to a family when my mom died. It was only later on when I faced the responsibility of my mother's legacy full on. "Can't I help you with this apocalypse thing? I can pull some strings to help you out."

"The biggest help you can be is to stay alive." Five replied. "If I'm correct, you living could mean the entire world is saved." 

"Well. I think this should help." I reached for my phone in my coat’s pocket and handed it to him.

“You can use that. That’s my personal phone.” I stared at his arm. It was fixed up. “I have my work phone number saved there. I don’t have a lot of contacts so you can find the other’s numbers there.”

He examined the device and raised a brow seeing my wallpaper. I forgot about that. He showed it to me, amused. It was of me and Klaus when we were both 18. He had his arm around me and I stuck my tongue out. It was a scanned copy of the picture that hang on the wall, one we had took in a photo booth. I probably stared at that photo for a while.

“Oh yeah I have to show you this feature on my phone.” I smiled and grabbed the phone and showed him an app that lets you track your phone. “If you want to know where I am all my devices are synced so you press here and here and-“

The radar on the phone blinked and showed two dots. I pressed one and it showed my penthouse's address.

“That’s where I am.”

“What’s the second dot for?” Five turned to me.

“Tha- That’s Klaus.” He looked at me with a judging gaze.

When I was younger I was obsessed with Klaus. He was a whole new world that my mother wanted me to steer away from. I had a thing for the rebellious sort. In my defense, the early 2000s was a weird time to be a young adolescent.

“Creepy but I’ll take it.” Five pressed his lips together. “I'm surprised you don't have trackers on the entire family. You always liked hovering over us."

“That’s because you guys get hurt a lot.” I replied.

“Whatever makes you feel better about your self." Five smirked. "Get packing. I'll see you in the Academy."

Blink and he was gone.

I sighed. I went to the door connecting my room to another. I opened it to reveal my private office. Monitors were lined up in three rows and columns. In the corner were boxes. Boxes of Vanya’s books and Allison’s merchandise. The room was decorated with Diego’s fighting posters. The feed revealed the academy. It was directly tapped to Reginald Hargreeves’ old feed. On my desk were lines of folders each having a picture of one of the Hargreeves’ family members with their photos unknowingly taken.

I smiled to myself. The private detectives I hired were definitely good.

I sat in the chair in the middle of the room, relaxing.

I was still part of a family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This shows more of Mary and Klaus' relationship.


	5. Obsession

The next morning I woke up with a couple of travel bags. My assistant, Vanessa, was inside my penthouse informing me of the arrangements she made for my vacation. I had told her not to worry too much as I would keep my work phone open for her.

“We successfully paid off the cops and the witnesses in the accident.” She informed me as we wait for the chauffer to get me my other car. “The driver of the sports car didn’t sustain too many damages. His hospital bills are accounted for and the press isn’t going to hear about this.”

“Great.” I commented, gracing her with a smile. She stares at me.

“You seem to be in a good mood lately Miss Lane.” Vanessa commented, batting her eyelashes. She gave me an inquisitive look. “Has Mister Klaus visited you lately?”

“Yes but that’s not really it.” I avoided her gaze. “I’m going to the Hargreeves’ to stay for a while.”

“Does that mean we have to call the detectives off for now?” Vanessa questioned. I nodded. “I’ll make the phone calls.”

“Vanessa.” I started. I looked forward, in a trance. “I don’t like this playing hard to get thing you suggested for me and Klaus.”

“Why not?” Vanessa asked, a bit offended. “I got myself a husband with that.”

“I don’t like keeping my distance from him.” I continued.

“But he now visits you on his own right?” Vanessa had a playful tone in her voice. My brows furrowed.

“I suppose you’re right.”

**Klaus Hargreeves**

I groaned after Pogo left. I didn’t know if the shit in the box was still in the dumpster. I scratched my head. I took a long puff of my cigarette. The voices were still there. I shuddered at the thought. I went over to the counter and fixed myself a drink.

“Klaus?” That voice. I turned to see none other than Mary Lane. Her curly chocolate locks stopped just at her shoulder and her matching brown eyes lost the brightness they had when we were younger. She used to look at me with such warmth and want. Now I didn’t know. Rather I couldn’t think what her eyes would say about me now. She greeted me with her characteristic warm smile.

I placed my drink aside and went outside the counter, hugging her. She hugged me back with a bit of hesitation.

“What are you wearing?” She giggled eyeing me. I remembered that I was only in my underwear. I winked as a response.

“Can I say I was expecting you?” I replied huskily. A tint of red spread on her otherwise pale cheeks before she put on a poker face. “Do you like it?”

She spared me a don’t-go-there look and walked to the counter grabbing my drink. Ben shook his head watching our exchange. She took a sip from it. “I thought you’d crash on my couch.”

“I didn’t want to sleep in that cold couch.” I said dramatically. I walked up to her. She handed me my drink and I took a swig of it. “And you didn’t want me to warm your bed up for ya.”

I remembered her writhing underneath me, her chest bare for my eyes. Her legs locked at my back and her sweet scent ever powerful as sweat gathered in her forehead. Her brown eyes filled with bliss as she held my head in her hands, her gaze unbreaking.

“Klaus.” She had moaned. I remembered picking up the pace. Her warmth was addicting and her sweet voice drove me on edge.

She pinched me as a response.

“Ow!” I rubbed the spot she pinched. “For a healer you seem to hurt me a lot.”

“I would stop if you stop teasing me.” She responded.

“But that gets you more excited.” I winked at her. She blushed and scoffed.

I laughed at that. It was cute in its own way. I heard Ben scoff at our exchange. I saw him roll his eyes.

“I’m joking. I’m joking.” I laughed. She huffed and grabbed my drink, taking a sip. She handed it back to me avoiding my gaze.

“I don’t really appreciate having to stick around during your visits.” Ben complained. I shot him a glare as I leaned on the counter. It wasn’t all that good either, seeing that Mary’s penthouse was haunted by her dear old mom.

“I need your help.” It was Five. He entered the room and stopped seeing me and Mary. He fixes his gaze on me. “I need your help. Go and get dressed in your nicest outfit and meet me in my room.”

“Can I help?” Mary walked towards Five, a worried tone in her voice.

“No. You stay here where it’s safe and let me handle this.” He responded. He was always protective of Mary. She’s one of the most intimate with us, always patching us up in missions.

“What’s in it for me?” I raised my brows.

“I’ll pay you 20 bucks.” Five responded, rolling his eyes. I perked up giving him a smile. Yes. He disappeared almost immediately and Mary turned to look at me.

“You just got out of rehab.” Ah, I forgot about that. Mary personally sought to it that any rehab center took me in. She nagged me on the phone frequently saying that her company could fund everything and give me a job and a home. She was probably one of the few people who believed there was fixing me. I didn’t want to take any of her offers, however.

Sometimes I thought that she wasted her time.

We were in my room when Mary held my hand and pushed my hand down swatting the joint from my hand. I think we were 16? 17? Her eyes were guilt ridden. She must have talked to Ben again. He was always nagging her to stop me and not to enable me. Some shit like that.

“What is it Mary?” I had asked her. She looked nervous. She shakily placed her hand on my cheek and captured my lips. It was electrifying. I felt the warmth of her power course through me, even though there wasn’t much to fix. It was comforting and strangely addicting.

“Use me.” She told me. What? “I’m going away soon and I want you to know you can visit me and instead of doing drugs you can…”

She trailed off and grabbed my hand, leading towards her breasts. I remembered blushing furiously. I should’ve said no. I was 16 then and hormones were a thing.

I should’ve said no.

“It’s for food.” I lied through my teeth. She knew.

“Okay. Uhm…” Her gaze seemed distant now. “I’ll get Ben’s statue fixed. I’m sure Ben wouldn’t want it to stay like that.” She smiled weakly at the thought of it.

“I don’t. I don’t want it to stay like that.” Ben gave me a dirty look.

“Can’t really fix it Benny boy.” I remarked.

“Don’t worry I’m going to pay someone to get it fixed.”

“Remember, when he died I tried fixing him. You know, reviving him.” She looked down. Who could forget? Ben frowned at the statement. “I thought that maybe I improved enough to do what I couldn’t do with my Mom.”

Ben looked at her his hand ghosting through her shoulder. She tried everything to make things right when Ben died. She started inviting me to her house more often and thought that sex would keep my mind off of drugs. When I stopped going she started nagging me about rehab centers until she got busy. She got busier and busier.

I missed her.

“I’m sure he appreciates it.” I responded feeling sad at the exchange. She avoided my gaze and began to walk away.

“I better make the phone calls.” Her back was facing me. “You better hurry up. Five doesn’t like waiting.”

**Mary Lane**

I kept in the Academy staying at one of the guest rooms that became my room when my mom died. Sir Hargreeves and Grace were nice but they were far from the parents my mom was. I stared at the workers as they fixed Ben’s statue, silent. I sat down and opened my laptop. It was connected to the feed at home and I watched the family go about their business like usual. I couldn’t find Allison though.

“Mary?” That was Allison. I closed my laptop immediately. I looked up and smiled. She responded with her own and quickly hugged me. “I was meaning to talk to you.” She smiled.

I stared at the statue fondly. “Shoot.”

“Listen. I missed a therapy session and Patrick is…” Allison started.

“That dick.” I snapped, my grip on her tighter. I felt my cheeks puffing. She smiled weakly gesturing me to go inside. As we walked I continued talking. “If you want I can look for a better lawyer. I could dig up some dirt about Patrick and-“

“It’s fine Mary.” She looked at me. “I just miss Claire so much and I feel like I could die.”

I turned to her and hugged her. “I know. I’m sorry I couldn’t help more.”

“It’s my fault.” She cried and I ran my hands through her hair hushing her.

“Patrick isn’t helping at all by being keeping her from you.” I whispered and pulled away. I looked at her sternly. “I’ll pull all the strings if I have to. I’m going to make sure you get custody back.”

“Thanks Mary but I need to face this on my own.” Allison shook her head. “I’m so sorry for springing this on you.”

  
“It’s fine.” I smiled at her. “I love both you and Claire.”

“I know.” Allison smiled weakly. “We haven’t seen you in years before this.”

“I was busy.” I said sadly. She looked at me worried. “But don’t worry. I’m managing fine. Everything is for mom.”

“Your mom was amazing and I’m sure she just wants to see you happy. I can’t imagine what I would do to myself if Claire grew up, no offense, like you.”

I scoffed. “You mean a successful business woman with a multi-billion company?”

“I mean a sad lonely woman that only sees the light of day when she remembers that she’s actually alive and not a zombie.” I avoided her gaze. “Have you even seen Klaus lately?”

“This morning actually.” I gave her a shit eating grin. She rolled her eyes.

“Before that?”

“A couple months?” I usually sought Klaus’ company after I wasn’t too busy but I admit I’ve been busy a lot lately.

“You have to open your schedule sometime Mary.” Allison shook her head. “Tell him how you really feel.”

I offered him a house and a job. I thought. He didn’t want them.

“I’d love to stay and chat but I have to go pay those guys.” I turned towards the courtyard entrance, visibly irritated. “I’ll see you later.”

“Wait Mary! I didn’t…”

Five years ago Vanya Hargreeves released a book entitled “Extraordinary”. When I first saw it I deliberately ordered my employees to get a copy of it, that they would gain certain favour over me if they did, not knowing what the contents it had. After a week of people giving me pitied looks and my cycle over I gave myself time to read it.

“Our family’s friend Mary Lane gave us a glimpse of what could’ve been if we had parents who actually loved us.” I read aloud looking at my secretary Vanessa. She had served under my mom and was the closest thing my mom had to another mother. “She served as a bitter reminder that we were unwanted. That our parents sold us off to a billionaire we now considered to be our father.”

I felt heart broken.

She became what was essentially my place in the family. What I could have been if I were any remotely special. I continued reading. When her mother passed away, she became a somewhat adopted member of the family but it was never the same. She frequently left to build what her mother left her. Soon enough we were forgotten by the one of the few people outside our family who knew everything.

I had called Vanya that day. She didn’t pick up. I wanted to tell her I still cared. That I would do right this time. It was then that I hired private detectives all over to monitor the siblings.

I felt bad for cutting Allison’s and my conversation short like that. I looked up when I saw Klaus with a bloody forehead with glitter? He was wearing a suit that seemed to didn’t look like anything he owned.

“What happened to you?” I raised a brow. “I thought you were with Five.”

“That little bastard scammed me off my money.” He grumbled.

“For food?” I raised a brow and placed my hand on the wound on his head. I took a handkerchief with my other hand and wiped away with the blood. “You have to stop living like this. I can give you money and a place to stay. You can get clean in this amazing rehab center.”

“As much as I would love living in one of your penthouses.” Klaus started gazing down at me. “I don’t find the glitz and glamor of that kind of lifestyle.”

I scoffed chuckling at him. “Says the guy who’s grumbling about a 13 year old not paying him.”

“I know it’s unbelievable for a classy person like moi.” He pressed his lips together, furrowing his brow. “You kept the necklace.”

I removed my hand from his head, finishing and gazed down on my chest, a cheap golden necklace with a stethoscope pendant on it. “Are you sure you’re not looking at my boobs?”

“That’s part of it.” He commented, smirking at me. I punched his arm. I heard a familiar rumbling sound. I laughed at him.

“Come on I’ll go order take out for all of us.” I patted his back.

“Klaus!” A teenage version of me laughed as we walked around the streets. A smirk played on his lips as he waved around a tiny plastic bag with his so called goods in it. We passed by an old woman with a small display of jewelry. My eyes flickered over a golden necklace. It had a stethoscope pendant hanging on it.

“What are ya looking at?” he looked at me and followed my gaze. “You want that?”

“No.” I laughed dryly but I couldn’t escape the longing in my eyes. I remembered a dream I had tried forgetting back then. It was only four years since my mom died. A year ago I moved out of the Hargreeves household to finally face my inheritance.

“Let’s get it.” Klaus insisted smiling. I gestured for him to stop. “How much madame?”


	6. Changing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mary finds the flaws in her way of thinking with the help of those closest to her.

I looked for Allison when the food arrived. I found her in her room. I knocked with an apologetic look on my face. She turned to look at me. She was gazing at a photo of her and Claire. I sat beside her in her bed and placed my hand on her arm.

“Hey. I’m sorry for earlier.” I told her. She shook her head.

“No I’m sorry too. I lashed out at Vanya and what I said was uncalled for.” She told me her gaze solemn. She breathed in and closed her eyes. “I just really miss Claire.”

“Don’t worry Allison. I know you can get through this.” I smiled softly. She eyed me.

“Don’t go bribing people on my account.” She warned me. I laughed.

“I’m not going to do anything, if you don’t want me to.” I told her. I shifted my gaze towards my hand. “You know the Hargreeves are the only people to turn down an offer from me. “

“Mary you’re like a sister to us.” Allison gripped my hand. I looked at her. “You’re special. We will never take advantage of you.”

“I know.” I chuckled softly. “It’s just a bit hard for me to watch you guys struggle when all I am is a phone call away and I can pull the right strings for you.”

Allison shook her head. “It’s nothing different from using my power.”

I breathed in heavily. She was right. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think that would be the case.”

“Mary I wished for something and it came true.” Allison closed her eyes. “And now I’m paying for the consequences.”

She shrugged and let go of my hand. She shifted her gaze forward, in a trance.

“There are some things that money can’t buy.” She told me.

I didn’t respond and looked at the necklace hanging from my neck. It was by all means a cheap sidewalk souvenir. I had to get it cleaned multiple times because it rusted. But by all means it meant more to me than any kind of jewelry in the world. Allison took notice of my gaze at the cheap piece of metal.

“You’re still wearing that ugly thing Klaus bought for you when we were teenagers?” She smiled. I nodded.

“You were so obsessed with him.” Allison sighed, chuckling softly.

“Still am.” I winked. Allison laughed.

“I don’t know what you see in him.” She continued, grinning.

“I don’t know what you see in Luther.” I quipped. She punched me playfully. I mocked an ‘ouch’. “I remember you getting caught with Luther.”

“At least we were just talking.” She nudged me. “Christ you and Klaus got freaky at an early age.”

I closed my eyes blushing at the memory.

“Mom caught you two, remember?”

“I don’t want to remember.” I gave her a pained sigh. I stood. “Come on I ordered take out for all of us.”

**Allison Hargreeves**

The next morning Luther and I were in the security room looking at the tape of Grace walking away as Dad died. We watched the scene over and over again. Last night when Pogo showed me this room I wanted to recall all the good memories from childhood. When I stumbled upon this tape I didn’t know what to think.

“Play it again.” Luther had said. I rolled my eyes.

“We watched it over and over Luther.” Luther sighs. “It’s the same everytime.”

The surveillance footage showed Mom leaving Dad as he had a heart attack, collapsing on his bed. I couldn’t believe it the first time I saw it and honestly I still couldn’t even when we watched it again and again. Luther looks at me with disbelief.

“Wha-what is she doing?”

His voiced cracked.

“The tea. Did she poison him?”

I grunted and a sigh escaped my lips. I just didn’t know what to say. “I don’t know.”

Luther responds with a sigh. “Where did you find this?”

“I was looking at old footage of us as kids and I saw the tape just sitting there.” I stood and relaxed my hands on the chair’s backrest, leaning onto it.

“Yeah. Dad must have started using the security system again.” He shifted his gaze. “He was getting more and more paranoid. He thought people were out to get him.”

Luther paused.

“Well I guess he was right.”

“But mom?” I didn’t know how to feel about this. She nurtured us when we were kids. “I mean she’s not capable of-“

I stopped.

“Is she?”

Luther didn’t reply.

“Can we tell Mary?” I questioned looking at him.

“She’s not part of our family.” Luther replies firmly. I sighed. He didn’t really like Mary, maybe because she had a lot of Dad’s attention when she moved into the Academy. “I feel like she had a part in this. How can she not find the poison if she examined him?”

I looked at him with disbelief. “She’s practically our sister Luther.”

“Remember that Dad was still the majority shareholder for her company. She can’t act outside Dad’s jurisdiction whether she liked it or not.” Luther pressed his lips together matching my gaze. “She might be holding a grudge over Dad when we arrived late in response to her mother’s distress call.”

I couldn’t believe what Luther was saying.

“She has the most resources out of us to orchestrate Dad’s death. She can pull strings whenever she can and leave without a trace.” Luther continued.

I couldn’t deny that. But I knew she would never do it.

“I know how you feel about her but what if everything she did was to butter us up so that we wouldn’t go against her?”

**Mary Lane**

I was reflecting on what Allison told me. The things money can’t buy. I was very much aware of that. When we were younger, I remembered Diego as a wide-eyed student in the police academy who fell in love with one of his classmates. Her name was Eudora Patch. He wouldn’t admit it but they had a relationship I was often jealous of, most especially when Eudora would call me when Diego was in jail. I was surprised I was listed as an emergency contact. I remembered asking him about that.

“It’s because you ask the least questions.” Diego had told me as the officer uncuffed him. I thought it was an emergency and I was still wearing my office attire when I picked him up. I looked at Eudora apologetically.

“Thanks for taking care of this idiot.” I smiled softly. She merely chuckled.

“I can hear you.” Diego groaned. “Let’s just go.”

“Not even a thank you? I cancelled a meeting because I thought you were in trouble.” I raised a brow. He rolled his eyes.

“Thank you all mighty business lady.” He said mockingly. “I’ll see you Eudora.”

“Please don’t.” She pressed her lips together.

When we left the station I looked at Diego. “So I’m your emergency contact?”

I grinned. He just rolled his eyes.

“As I said. You ask the least questions.” He had told me. “I don’t want them calling Dad.”

Diego had this hard exterior that he thought was cool. I always wondered why he went out to go and become a vigilante, relive the good days. At first he would call me if he was injured. He wasn’t often. I find myself frowning when I remembered all his missed calls. He just stopped calling me all of a sudden.

“Miss Lane? Are you listening?” Vanessa waved her hand. I looked at her on my laptop screen. We were video chatting. “The shares were divided amongst the bidders. You’re the majority shareholder now.”

“Great.” I told her.

“We need you back here in a week or so.” Vanessa continued. “The board wants you to fix a will in case something happens to you. Just so we don’t go through this mess again.”

“If I die you get the company.” I said flatly. She shook her head.

“No I can’t Miss Lane.” Vanessa urged.

“What’s the problem? You know how to run the company just like I do.” I continued. “Unless you want Klaus to be your boss.”

I flashed her a smug grin.

“No please no.” She begged. “Don’t you have some other sibling in the Hargreeves family you’d entrust your life’s work to?”

“I told you. Klaus gets most of it. Allison gets the others. Diego gets some too. Vanya gets a part of the company. Luther can get what’s left.” I leaned back. “I guess I’ll add Five there.”

“What about your properties?” Vanessa questioned, writing most of it down. I shrugged. “Just give Klaus the penthouse and you can get the rest.”

“Miss Lane.”

“Good bye.” I grinned.

“Miss Lane we have to discuss this pro-!”

And I ended the call.

I checked the time and sighed. I missed breakfast. I wonder if Grace would have something for me in the kitchen. I walked out of my room stretching my legs. I was in the second floor when I heard the familiar voices of the residents of this household. I quietly looked down peeking over the railing.

“If he was poisoned, it would have shown in the coroner’s report.” I heard Diego’s voice. “And we have something better than a coroner. We have Mary.”

Reginald Hargreeves knew I couldn’t detect poison. At least, not directly.

“Mary diagnose these patients.” Sir Reginald had told me, dead rats all lined up. I cupped each of them lightly on my hand.

“The first one is Pneumonia.” I said moving on to the next.

“Correct.”

“Lungs… Respiratory Disease?”

“Correct.”

“Heart failure?”

“Incorrect.” He looked at me. “Poison.”

What kind of shit storm did you leave me? I had a silent question towards Reginald Hargreeves.

“There’s obviously more to her than what she leads on.” Luther insisted. “I don’t need a report or Mary to tell me what I can see with my own eyes.

“She may not be as nice as you guys think she is. What if she goes for one of us next? I’m sure dad left one of us his shares.” Luther continued. He didn’t leave them to anyone. People were done bidding for it.

“You know what I think?” Diego taunted. “You were always jealous of her.”

What would he be jealous of? I felt my heart go heavy.

“Stop it Diego.” Vanya said firmly. I haven’t had the chance to talk to her. I felt guilt build up my stomach.

“And what about you sis?” Diego eyed her. “Wasn’t she the rightful sister? The one you could have been if you were any remotely special?”

“Diego.” Allison warned. I peeked and saw Vanya avoid his gaze.

“Out of all of us you probably hated her the most.” Diego continued. I closed my eyes. “She left you, right? In the sidelines?”  
“I was with her when dad died.” Klaus? I peeked over to look at him. My eyes wide. I certainly wasn’t. I was up all night working when I drifted off. “She was with me.”

I definitely wasn’t.

The other siblings looked at him.

“We were having the most…” Klaus paused for emphasis. “Amazing sex.”

The other siblings looked at him with disgust.

“Jesus Klaus, you could have stopped at you were with her.” Diego commented.

“I didn’t need that mental image.”

“Did I ever tell you that she marks easily? She just chooses to heal them up or keep them when she wants to.”

“I thought we were here to talk about Mom?” Vanya interjected.

I huddled in the second floor closing my eyes, tears threatening to escape my eyes. I didn’t know what to feel. I knew I couldn’t make right everything I did. I sent Vanya flowers when I read the book. I don’t know what she did with them but she hasn’t called me. Should I send her apology flowers again?

I blinked the tears away and stood. I needed to talk to Vanya.

**Vanya Hargreeves**

We waited for Five to arrive in the house before we made the decision to turn Mom off. After the meeting we kind of went our own separate ways. It was when I was wandering around when I saw Mary. I hadn’t seen her since the memorial. I didn’t know what to feel about her. I knew that since we were kids Mary had the idea if she bought us stuff or did us favours we would like her. She spent her time opening up to me about ways she could get other people to like her.

“Vanya.” The young Mary had smiled at me, a ploy clearly forming in her head. “I think I know how I can get Klaus to notice me more.”

She was always obsessing over the others.

“What is it?” I asked her.

“He smokes joints right?” She told me. I knew where this was going. “What if I gave him access to a lot of better things?”

I immediately shook my head.

“That’s a bad idea Mary.” I told her worriedly, cupping her hands. She scoffed.

“What the worst that can happen?” She told me, grinning. “It’s going to be fine.”

“No it’s not. Your mom won’t like it if you use the company’s connections.” I started. She flashed me an irritated glare.

“My mom is dead.” She spat. My eyes widened. Is she serious? She then continued with a statement to herself. Something I wasn’t meant to hear.

“I have a new family now.”

“Vanya.” Present day Mary looked at me sternly. She changed a lot since Ben’s death but she still held on to that obsession with Klaus and the rest. I wondered why she didn’t obsess over me as she did with the others but I had the tendency to forget I wasn’t even on the same playing field as they were. “We need to talk.”

“What about?” I had asked her. She gestured me to follow her. She was holding two mugs of warm chocolate mixed with coffee, a treat we both enjoyed in our early teens. She gave one to me and we went to the courtyard in silence. It was when we sat down, gazing at Ben’s statue that she started to speak.

“We haven’t talked in years.” She started.

“Well you seemed busy with the others.” I told her sipping the warm drink. She didn’t budge.

“You’re the only one who knows about that side of me.” She had told me. I didn’t know if that should have made me feel special. “That side of me that wishes to be part of your family.”

“I’m not much of a member, in case you forgot.” I replied. She looked at me and shook her head. “You seem more like a member.”

She breathed in closing her eyes and took a sip of her drink. “Why is this so hard?”

“What is?” I asked. She looked at me.

“Vanya I want to be honest. I read your book.” She started. I looked away from her remembering the flowers she sent me. I kept some of them pressed between books.

“I remember.” I told her.

“You were right Vanya.” That caught me off guard. “And it’s been hard for me to swallow but everything you wrote about me is true. I’ve been trying to force myself in your family. You know how much time I spent plotting how to get the others to like me?”

“I recall.”

“But you know why I didn’t plot to get you to like me more?” I didn’t. I kept quiet, avoiding her gaze. “It’s because you were always there for me.”

What?

Mary looked at me sincerely. I didn’t know what to say.

“I didn’t need to come up with a ruse or an excuse to be closer to you. You were the closest thing I had to family Vanya.” Mary closed her eyes and shifted her gaze to Ben’s statue. “Ben’s death was a slap to my face. It made me realize that I can’t just go and forget about my mom and so I worked hard to be where I am now. I became so busy I forgot to be with you guys. I only saw the others when I thought it was an emergency or something big.”

She paused and took a sip of her drink. She laughed dryly.

“Your book opened my eyes Vanya. I wasn’t part of your family but I am your family’s friend. I should have been there for you guys.” She smiled sadly. “I realized that I wasn’t fair to you. I concentrated on everyone else.”

“Mary.” I spoke up.

“You know before this I was debating whether or not to get you apology flowers again?” She laughed dryly. “I’m not good at this kind of thing Vanya. You always were. You and Ben knew what to say and what to do.”

“Mary, it’s okay.” I told her. She looked at me with glossy eyes. “I don’t know where to start, but yeah I wasn’t that fair to you either. I was bitter, jealous that you were the special one. You were supposed to be their sister.”

“Vanya, don’t think that.” She pouted and hugged me awkwardly. I nearly spilled the drink on her as she did. “Remember they have poo in their brains.”

That got a laugh out of me. She let go of me steadily.

“You know a couple hours ago I was setting up my will.” She told me. That was odd. “The board didn’t want a repeat with what happened with your dad.”

“What happened to Dad?” I asked her.

“Your dad didn’t leave a will.” She said. “His shares had to be sold off to other people.”

“Wow. “ I don’t even know why I was shocked to begin with.

“I know.” She rolled her eyes. I smiled and sipped my drink. I still had a heavy heart, I knew. I felt that it was a bit lighter.

Allison was right. I had thought. It feels good letting people in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and suggestions? Is the pacing too fast?


	7. Warm and Fuzzy Feelings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this does have a reference to emotional manipulation and more of a background on what Mary's power does to Klaus more specifically. I am in no way trying to romanticize what Mary is doing.

Klaus and I shared a very complicated relationship. I had complicated relationships with all the Hargreeves siblings but I was particularly fascinated by Klaus. I saw him at his worst because of his father sending me to heal him whenever he got back from the mausoleum. Out of all the siblings I probably spent most of my time healing his wounds more even though he often times didn’t have any. Reginald Hargreeves wondered if I would be able to heal different things. Armed with a crush, I lacked guidance or instruction from my mother who was adamant on making me grow up to be like her.

“Mommy I have a crush on someone.” I was young but I remembered the disbelieving look on my mother’s face. I remembered Vanessa rolling her eyes.

“Oh no baby. Who is it?” She had turned to me, putting down a folder and grasping my hands. “Is it that boy Ben?”

I shook my head and stuck my tongue out. Vanessa laughed.

“It’s Klaus.” I said excitedly.

She sank in her seat and groaned. Vanessa kicked my mom’s leg and rolled her eyes.

“Why not the Ben boy at least?” She whined.

“You’re acting like it’s the end of the world Lanny.” Vanessa’s brows furrowed. “Just like when me and John got engaged.”

“I don’t like Ben.” I told her. “He’s like a big brother.”

“And Klaus isn’t?” Mom asked me. “Or do you see him as a sister?”

“Mom.” I whined. “I like him like him. I don’t know how to get him to notice me”

My mom groaned. Vanessa brushed her off and leaned down smiling at me.

“You just go for it Mary.”

And go for it I went. They weren’t exactly clear on what that meant but I did it.

My work phone rang when Vanya and I were catching up. We had abandoned the courtyard and wandered off to the halls, remembering bits and pieces of our childhoods together. I hated to end the conversation but usually people won’t call me there when it wasn’t urgent.

“Mary?” It was Vanessa. I mouthed to Vanya that I had to take the call in private. She nodded and waved. I waved back and escaped to my room where I closed the door. “The board wants you to finalize the will like YOU write it.”

I groaned and dropped the call. I didn’t have heirs. I sighed and went to my desk, opening my laptop. I began typing away. I hadn’t given my future much thought, honestly speaking. I did what I had to do in the company and that’s all I ever imagined myself doing. I guess I had to rethink things. I felt like even though it was a bit hazy, I had a few things in perspective.

One thing was that I wanted Vanessa to be the one to continue my mom and I’s legacy. If something did happen to me I would at least find a way to make sure she and her family lived comfortably. That was what mom would’ve wanted.

What I wanted.

Another was I wanted Klaus off of the streets. I wanted Allison to get Claire back. I wanted to protect Diego from the law. I wanted to see Vanya become a great musician. I wanted to see Five live his life again, preferably one not apocalyptic.

I was typing away when I heard a knock on my door. It opened and I saw Klaus. What is he doing here? I stopped what I was doing and turned to him.

“Klaus, what is it?” I asked concerned. He twitched and closed his eyes, breathing in. He remembered the mausoleum.

It was at these moments of weakness where I shouldn’t be indulging him. I remembered Ben telling me that. Play hard to get. Vanessa told me that too.

Comfort him.

I felt my heart race as I hugged him, closing my eyes. Just like when we were younger, I had thought. His warmth was radiating and it soothed me. I ran my fingers through his hair as I felt him calm down. I let my power run through my fingers. When I didn’t heal anything my power just came like a small warmth.

I shouldn’t be doing this.

I heard him whimper again and stiffen in my arms. My brows furrowed as he whisper to himself no repeatedly. Was he trying to get clean? I had wondered. Did he run out of drugs?

I hated this.

I hated feeling helpless.

I pulled away and cupped his face in my hands. I pressed my forehead against his. I can feel the warmth of his breath on my lips.

Comfort him like a normal person.

I let my power run through my hands, letting the warmth explore his senses. This warmth that I knew would affect only him.

Guilt suddenly tugged on my heart.

What was I doing to the man I loved for all these years?

My heart’s pace quickened as I opened my eyes seeing the vulnerable man. Stop it. I had thought.

I saw him wince again. I bit my lip.

I leaned in and kissed him. He returned the kiss with as much passion as I started it with. We fell onto the bed. I pulled away, breathing and looking at his eyes.

“They’re going to hear us here.” I started, breathless. My heart was beating frantically in my chest.

“Let them.” He said before peppering my neck with kisses. His hands rested on my chest playing with my mounds. I blushed moaning slightly. I felt heat gather at my core as he nibbled on my neck and unbuttoned my blouse.

Couldn’t comfort him like a normal person now?

My mom didn’t like me using my power a lot. When I was a kid I would come home with litters of kittens and a pack of dogs I chanced upon injured. They would follow me anywhere. She grew concerned. She frequently stepped in on what Reginald Hargreeves would find in my powers. When she saw my use my powers on Klaus she grew concerned.

I remembered a rabid dog escaping my grandmother’s neighbourhood when I was a kid. It bit me and as it locked its jaws on my feet and my small body was writhing in pain. I was crying loudly and felt my powers grew out of control. My mom struggled to get the dog off of me. Suddenly the dog let go and licked my face. I screamed and ran to my mom. The dog now cutely barking at me and licking where it bit me, trying to make up for it.

My mother saw the side effect of my power.

It didn’t really affect most people. To most it would be a familiar warmth and comfort most people would welcome but brush off.

To a few like the Hargreeves siblings, it felt more comforting. Thus it made them feel a bit more open to me than most people. I grew up with the idea that it was only natural for them to like me.

To Klaus Hargreeves the warmth of my power was different.

I found that out in the mausoleum.

He would look at me lovingly and bashfully when I used it. The warmth my power had was amplified because of the shit Reginald Hargreeves put him through.

It was simply intoxicating.

“Mary, have you been healing Klaus?” My mom had asked me. I stopped and shook my head, avoiding her gaze. Her eyes widened and she gripped my arm. I stepped back, my eyes ridden with fear. I tried sending a familiar warmth to her. The moment I did she let go of me. “You’ve been using your power even when he isn’t injured aren’t you?”

I avoided her gaze.

“Mary.” She had told me firmly. I gulped. “Stay away from Klaus.”

I lied next to Klaus, he was lying on my bare chest. My necklace was still dangling from my neck. I looked at it and closed my eyes. I kissed his forehead and he stirred awake.

“I’m going to take a bath.” He announced and broke free from my grasp.

“Klaus.” I started. For the first time in years I didn’t use my power on him during sex. I was nervous.

“What? You wanna come with?” He asked. I gulped.

“I love you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I listen to a lot of music while writing this series. I've also been liking the new songs in my playlist because of Umbrella Academy so if you guys are interested here are a couple I've been listening to while writing:
> 
> 1.Clarity - Zedd  
> 2.Pawn it All - Alicia Keys  
> 3\. SLOW DANCING IN THE DARK - Joji  
> 4.NO FUN - Joji
> 
> And a bunch more.


	8. Rejection

**Klaus Hargreeves**

I needed to take a bath. That’s what I thought I needed.

“Why didn’t you say it back to her Klaus?” Ben had asked me. God how I wish he can shut up.

“Did you watch the entire time Ben?” I mocked. Ben appeared in front of me.

“Are you seriously running away after Mary confessed her feelings to you?”

I wasn’t listening to him. I rather not listen. I didn’t want to think right now.

“I love you Klaus.” _Use me._

I forced my eyes shut as I opened the tap, starting to fill the tub. Mary wasn’t here and so were the voices.

**Ben Hargreeves**

I looked at Klaus disappointed. I didn’t exactly have a choice when I witnessed his and Mary’s exchange but I do know that Mary does genuinely loved Klaus, ever since we were kids. Maybe unhealthily so. I remembered reading with her in the library and she’s glance up from her book whenever she heard something remotely close to Klaus.

Throughout the years Mary and Klaus had escapades I was kind of forced to watch. I’d see her lonely face when Klaus was dressing. She remained on the bed still and would turn to let Klaus leave.

I saw her heart broke when Klaus would be with someone else. He didn’t like staying at Mary’s penthouse even when she invited him. The longest I’ve seen him there was when he’d sleep in for the night and leave for the morning. It didn’t really help that her mother would linger in the penthouse.

“Mary’s too good for him.” She would grumble and contemplate on why Mary can’t just get a man that would pass her standards. We all knew her standards were pretty unreachable.

“I know.” I’d reply to the older woman. “She loved him since we were kids.”

“This obsession she has with the man. With your family.” She sighed. “I wish I could talk to her one last time.”

“What would you say?” I asked her.

“I would tell her to listen to her mother.” The woman sat beside Mary’s sleeping form. 

“Easier said than done.” I commented but smiled softly.

I’d have to give it to the bastard. Anyone in his position would drown in Mary’s riches. He had enough pride not to albeit the cold days in the streets.

To him Mary was special in his own weird way.

Yet he left her in her room, a confession hanging between them. Klaus didn’t respond when she told him. I could see her heart break.

“Ben.” She had said when we were reading in silence one day. She had her head on my shoulder, leaning back as she closed the book in her hands, a finger on the page she was on. I remembered how warm she was. How comforting her presence was. “Are you afraid of death?”

“What?” I questioned her. What was she going on about?

“Do you think it’s not all that bad?” Is she crazy? Should I be worried?

“What are you planning?” I asked her closing my book as well. She laughed.

“Jesus! I’m not going to kill myself.” She leaned in closer to my shoulder. “I don’t know. Do you think Klaus will be afraid of me if he saw me as a ghost?”

“I think he’d marry you.” I joked. Her eyes sparkled as she turned to me a stupid grin on her face. “I was joking!”

I saw the smile fall on her lips. My brows furrowed and I pinched her.

“Ow!” She frowned.

“Stop acting like you’re going to die.” I told her. I used to think that I couldn’t imagine a world without her. Back then it was slowly happening. I had saw her less and less. She told me she needed a break that day. She sneaked out of the house to go meet me in the academy. I liked this small meetings of ours. It was the only time she would shut up about Klaus.

“I’m not! Jesus.” She opened her book again and settled to my side. She leaned her head on my shoulder and smiled. “I have you guys remember?”

Present day, I went back to Klaus’ room and watched Mary as she wept. I wanted no more than to comfort her. I don’t know what was going through her head when she confessed to Klaus. I saw her whimper and took her time to get dressed. I saw her type in the laptop. I peeked over her shoulder. She was writing her will through her tears. My eyes widened when I saw what was written. I looked at her disbelievingly.

**Mary Lane**

  
Why did I tell him?

You told him after you used your power on him again. I had yelled at myself.

“Mom do you really love me?” I had asked my mom. She raised a brow and snickered.

“Where is this coming from?” She had asked. She was busy preparing dinner. I leaned in on the counter tapping my fingers.

“You know how my power makes you feel warm and nice?” I started. “Do you love me because of that?”

“I told you to stop using your powers when you don’t need to.” My mom pressed her lips together shaking her head.

“Do you think the Hargreeves family really like me or is it because I healed them?” I frowned. “Does Klaus like me?”

“I don’t know Mary.” She said with a tinge of disappointment in her voice. “I told you to stop using your power on him.”

But what if he doesn’t? I don’t think I could have handled it.

Present day I buried my face in my hands. He doesn’t. I got my answer after years of avoiding it. I breathed in and closed my eyes. What did I expect exactly?

I jolted up at the sound of gunshots. I saw the clothes strewn about on the floor. I remembered my confession and felt my heart go heavy. I shook my head and searched for my clothes. I saw my coat strewn on the floor. I went underneath the bed and grabbed a small metallic briefcase. In it was a series of photographs and below it was a piece of foam protecting a handgun. I ran towards the source of the gunshots. It was quiet for a second before I heard Vanya’s voice echo through the halls.

“Shit.” I cursed and ran towards her. I saw a man with a weird mask backhand her when I drew my gun and began shooting at him. He ran as I heard Luther’s voice.

“Hey asshole.” The man turned to Luther and proceeded to swing the mace in his hand. I proceeded to aim for the man’s legs but I was out of bullets. I cursed and ran towards the room Vanya was in and looked for a weapon. I looked at the liquor cabinet and shook my head. It had to do. I grabbed one of the bottles and broke it on the table, making for a makeshift weapon. I ran back and saw Vanya hide between the doorway. I ignored her and when the man threw Luther I stabbed him on the leg. He stood and threw a punch at my face. I recoiled but snapped my head back unfazed.

“What the hell?” I heard the attacker said throwing another punch. It hurt when I blocked it with my right and punched with my left. He was a fazed a bit but kept his distance. This guy knew how to fight. I kept my arms up blocking my face and my stance steady. He charged in first I readied to punch him but he tackled me. Shit. I fell on the floor with him on top of me and it stung like hell. I breathed in and locked legs around his neck, crushing it with my thighs. I kept my muscles tight as he struggled getting me off. Unfortunately for me, I was light as a feather. Soon enough he broke out of my hold and stood kicking me in the head.

Pain seared through my body as I tumbled on my chest, my vision fading. The attacker left and the next seconds came to me as a blur. I saw the chandelier fell on Luther. Before I knew it the gash on my head was gone and my vision was restored. I gasped when I saw Luther’s clothes tear because of the chandelier. I stood wobbly. I looked around and saw Allison and Diego. I gulped as his ape like body was revealed. Luther stared directly at Allison before running upstairs. I ran over to Vanya who was also approached by Allison. Vanya looked at us.

“Did you know?”

“No.” Allison replied and I stayed silent. I spoke up.

“Are you guys hurt? I can patch you guys up.” I gestured them to come sit at the couches. They followed.

“Mary. Did you know?” Vanya repeated. I bit my lip. I moved over to Allison and started healing her.

“Get to Vanya first she looks like she got hit on the head.” Allison stated and I obliged. I placed my hand on Vanya’s forehead and let the warmth of my power do its magic.

“I’m okay.” Vanya reassured the other woman. Allison still walked to get a towel to wipe the blood off of Vanya’s forehead. She handed it to Vanya who kept her head low. Vanya placed the towel on her forehead before muttering a thanks to me. “Who are those people?”

“I don’t know.” Allison sat across Vanya. I examined her before holding her shoulder, allowing my power to get a bigger run through of Allison’s body to repair anything I didn’t see. Slowly, the gash on her lip faded. “All I know is that we’re lucky to be alive.”

“You can say that again.” I mused.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Allison asked worried. I nodded along with Vanya. Diego soon steps into the room, pacing about. I stood and walked over to him.

“Diego are you hurt?” I was cut off when he looked at Vanya.

“What are you still doing here?”

“I’m just trying to help.” Vanya replied.

“No you could’ve been killed.” Diego raised his voice.

“Diego.” I started. He looked at me and Allison.

“Or gotten any of us killed.” Diego continued. “She is a liability.”

I glared at him but shook it off. “Sit down and let me see if I could patch you up.”

“Allison?” Vanya look at the other woman expectantly. I avoided her gaze. “Mary?”

I worked my powers through Diego repairing anything I could find broken. I didn’t know what to say. All I wanted was her to be safe.

Safety was her out of here.

“I think what he’s trying to say is that this kind of stuff is dangerous.” Allison paused. “You’re just.”

“Not like you.” Vanya interjected before standing and walked away.

“No. That’s not what I”

“Let her go.” Diego called and I slapped his head. He glared at me. “It’s for the best.”

“You could have said it better.” I snapped before standing. “I’m going to check on Luther.”

I climbed the staircases and headed for Luther’s bedroom. I knocked on the door. I called for him. “Luther!”

He didn’t respond.

“Let me check to see if you’re okay!” I called after him.

Silence.

I huffed and left.

I remembered arriving moments after Reginald Hargreeves injected his son with Pogo’s DNA in an attempt to save him.

“Mary! Quickly!” He called after me and I grabbed a chair and held his shoulder. A sigh escaped Luther’s lips and we all let out a collected relieved sigh. Reginald nodded at me and I knew what to do.

“Grace. Bring Mary food in about 3 hours. She is to stay with Luther until he wakes up.” Reginald called and Grace nodded and turned to me smiling weakly. Reginald turned to me.

“I’ll continue healing him.” I remarked.

I stayed there for more over than 12 full hours. I had to use my powers non-stop, my only sustenance were the meals that Grace brought me. When Luther awoke I was slightly dozing off but kept my energy flowing through him. He was stable by the first two hours but I had a lot of things to work with. I jumped when he sat up, examining his newly acquired features in a panic. Before I knew it he screamed, removing the need for me to call for his father.

When I awoke I didn’t know that I fell asleep in the first place. I groaned and looked around. I was in my room. His clothes still lay strewn on the floor, a remembrance to what happened the night before. I figured he wouldn’t be around. I stood and walked outside seeing Allison. She gave me a sad look before hugging me.

“They got Mom.” She cried. We both went to the silent place Grace would sit down and gaze at paintings. Her body slumped, lifeless. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I walked up to her, trying to surge my energy towards her, alas she was a robot and I didn’t know how to fix her. Luther soon followed with Allison.

“I know I was arguing to turn Grace off but it doesn’t make seeing her like this any easier.” Luther starts.

“Poor Diego.” Allison started. “I mean this is going to be so hard on him.”

“Yeah it’s hard on all of us.” Luther looked at Allison. I felt like I shouldn’t be here. I stood and nodded at them, leaving them to their conversation. What the hell happened? Klaus and Five were nowhere to be seen and some random people in children’s masks attacked the Academy. No one in their right mind would-

Wait

I ran to my room and cursed myself. Damn it. I nearly got them killed. I gripped my head when I got my room. I wanted to scream. How could I do this to them? That's why Five wanted me in the academy. I'm safe because they're protecting me.

No

No

No

NO

NO

They shouldn't protect me. I should be protecting them. I need to. It's my job. It's my job.

I shouldn't be here.

“Mary, get dressed. We’re going to talk to Vanya.” Allison looked at me. I felt the dread build up in my stomach. I got everyone in danger because of me. I shouldn't be staying here. I shouldn't be here. I felt sick, something supposedly impossible for me to experience. Yet I was. I was disgusted at my self.

Dirty

Manipulating

Disgusting

I remembered looking at Reginald Hargreeves as he opened the door to the room where I would be training. I looked at him, scared. 

"Remember Mary. The lives you could save by improving your power." He had told me. I nodded before stepping in, knowing what fate awaits me.

I parked the car in front of Vanya’s apartment building. Allison and I looked at each other before nodding. The guilt started to eat me up. I couldn't handle it. We looked at the numbers carefully and at her address.

We found Vanya’s apartment and we called for her. There was no answer. We looked at each other as Allison tried to open the door. It opened. I felt dread pick up from my gut and she looked at me. Allison entered and placed her bag on the table looking around. Vanya’s apartment was simple as I had imagined it to be. It felt homey and comfortable. We saw a figure in the doorway of the other room. We looked at each other and hid. I drew my gun and breathed in looking at each other. Allison looked to the side, waiting for the figure to emerge. When he crossed the threshold Allison kicked him in the knees and he fell on the floor. I pointed my gun at his head. Allison was about to punch him when he spoke.

“Allison! Wait!”

“Leonard?” Allison retracted. “Sorry.”

I looked at her, my gun still drawn. The man looked average but he kept his hands up.

“Do you mind uhm?” He gestured to me and Allison nodded at me. I kept my gun down, turning the safety on before keeping it on its holster, hidden with my coat.

“Who is this guy?” I questioned. The man stood and offered his hand.

“I’m Leonard. An acquaintance of Vanya.” He smiled. I raised a brow and shook his hand. “You’re that huge CEO of that tech giant-“

“Where’s Vanya?” Allison asked.

“She’s at rehearsal.” Leonard reached in his pockets and I heard the familiar jingling of keys. “She left her keys at my place last night. I was just returning them.”

“You sound like you’re more than just an acquaintance of Vanya.” I started. He smiled shyly.

“Thanks? I hope so.” I didn’t trust this guy. “I’m sorry if I scared you.”

“If you’re just returning her keys why are you inside her apartment?” I immediately followed up. He looked away and leaned into the table.

“It’s kind of embarrassing. I had to use the restroom.” He said casually. Allison crossed her arms and I kept my distance from him. “If you don’t mind me asking, why are you here?”

“Excuse me?” Allison scoffed.

“No it’s just from what I heard.” Leonard stammers scratching his temple. “You didn’t want anything to do with Vanya yesterday.”

“You’re overstepping your boundaries Leonard.” I quipped my eyes narrow.

“I don’t know how that’s any of your business.” Allison responded coldly.

“You’re right.” Leonard nervously chuckled. “Probably not.”

We didn’t respond.

“I guess I’ll just drop these off to Vanya at rehearsal.” Leonard brought Vanya’s keys up. I eyed him suspiciously.

“You know what?” Allison stopped him, outstretching her hand. “I’ll take the keys to her.”

“Sure.” Leonard handed Allison the keys. “Whatever’s easiest, right?”

He started leaving but not before following up with what he said.

“It’s great seeing you.” Leonard says finally before leaving the apartment.

We looked at each other with that shared feeling of suspicion.

“I don’t like Vanya’s acquaintance.” I said starting up the car.

“You can say that again.” Allison sank to the passenger seat. I checked my mirrors and started to drive. “I have a really bad feeling about him.”

“So do I. Don’t worry.” I responded. “He seems like a creep. Did you hear how he talked to us?”

“Yeah. What was that about?” Allison sighed and rested her head on the window. I shrugged in response. We soon arrived at Icarus Theater. My phone started ringing and I wondered who it could be. I glanced at the screen and saw Eudora Patch's number. When we left the car I told Allison to go on ahead as I needed to check something. I raised a brow as I answered the phone.

"Hello. Diego's brother was kidnapped and I think I know where he is." Is she talking about Klaus or Five? Five doesn't seem like he could be kept captive due to his powers. I paused and felt dread wash over me.

Klaus

“Why don’t you call Clarisse in the house more often?” I remembered telling Klaus. I was struggling to balance the knife on the onions, a bead of sweat on my forehead.

“As surprising as it may be, I like learning new things in my days off.” I remarked and started chopping. I winced when I chopped a bit of my finger. I watched it stitch back together and continued chopping.

“I don’t think blood is in the ingredient list.” Klaus quipped. I shot him a glare.

“Then why don’t you eat somewhere else then?” I remarked. He walked up to me and grabbed the knife, continuing mincing the mess I made. He winced when he cut himself and I laughed, placing my hand on his letting the warmth surge through his hand. “Try being a smart ass if you can do better.”

He stuck his tongue out. “At least I finished before cutting myself.”

I rolled my eyes. “Want takeout?”

"I'll be there." I told Eudora. "Where is it?"

"Luna Motor Lodge. Please contact Diego if you can." I paused. Does Diego even have a phone? I'll just ring Al. I thought.

Allison and Vanya returned to the car, snapping me out of my daze. I turned to them.

“Hey I need to go check on something in the office.” I started. Allison raised a brow. “You guys go on without me.”

“Are you sure? We were about to get a drink.” Allison started. I nodded and threw her the car keys.

“Yeah I’ll be quick I just need to uhm… check on something.” I smiled weakly.

Allison nodded. I hailed a cab. I got in.

“To Luna Motor Lodge.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I changed the summary a bit, now that I have a better grasp of the story. I have written it out but I have the urge to change it whenever I read it.

**Klaus Hargreeves**

It has been hours since they kidnapped me. I was tired and scared. These idiots thought that I was someone valuable to Five. No one would notice me gone. Even Mary would probably care less if I was gone.

_I love you._

_Use me._

I winced at the memory of teenage Mary telling me that. That ate at my conscience growing up. The idea of using my friend to get rid of the nightmares that plagued me cheapened her.

I didn’t want to see her as another escape.

I closed my eyes, seeing an image of Mary smiling at me as she cupped my face. The warmth of her power surging through me.

Then the days of the mausoleum haunted me again. The voices. The pleas of the spirits. Their frantic calling. I whimpered as I heard the spirits call to me again, remembering the days of the mausoleum. Those torturous hours and the dead constantly calling at me. Ben looked at me with a frown on his face.

“You went there again didn’t you?” He asked. I whimpered, inhaling and exhaling deeply. “Try remembering what happened after you got out. Remember Mary?”

Mary clung to me as I sobbed on her chest. She hummed me a comforting tune as Dad looked over us. She pressed her lips on my forehead feeling the familiar warmth of her power. She continued soothing me.

“It seems as though your abilities are limited only to physical wounds.” Dad had told her.

I knew that wasn’t true, at the very least, for me.

I heard the lady’s voice in Russian. I closed my eyes but still felt Ben’s stare boring into me. I opened my eyes and looked at the lady screaming at the female captor in Russian. She turned to me. I avoided her gaze.

“Oh Jesus.”

“Look at her.” Ben said. “At how’s she’s looking at them. She’s one of their victims. We can use this.”

I hesitated looking at her wound.

“Go on. You haven’t been this sober since you were a teenager. Since you decided to keep the ghosts at bay.”

I remembered the fire and my friend crying over her mother’s corpse. In front of her was the spirit of her mother who looked at her with sorrow. The spirit looked at me, her eyes softer than before. She used to look at me with such disapproval. The spirit walked over to me and smiled weakly.

“It might be hard to understand now.” She had started. She tried placing her hand on my shoulder, kneeling. “Mary’s powers are addicting to anyone broken.”

She pointed at her chest.

“I’m telling you this so that you know when she uses them on you. It’s because she’s afraid.” Her mother paused. “She’s afraid of losing you all.”

**Mary Lane**

"Can you tell Diego that Eudora called me and she needs backup? I'm going there with her. She told me she found Klaus."

I arrived at the cheap motel when the sun was down. I had to make sure I was prepared. I stopped by the penthouse to get one of my handguns. I had to wash my face to make myself snap out of it. I need to do this for Klaus. I needed to do this for everyone.

I was at fault.

I saw Eudora and she smiled at me. I hugged her.

"Thank you for finding him." I told her.

"Where's Diego?" She asked me.

"Couldn't reach him." I replied sadly. She bit her lip. She looked hesitant.

“You’re one of the kids that was born on the same day as Diego. You have abilities like Diego right?” She questioned. I nodded.

“Not like Diego but I’m a healer.” I told her. She looked hesitant.

“I need backup. Diego’s brother went missing but I can’t let a civilian as important as you are go into the line of fire.”

“Eudora I can’t let you go in there without me.” I told her. I hesitated but leaned in closer to her to whisper something in her ear. She looked at me disbelievingly but nodded.

“Alright.”

I followed the Detective’s lead. She eyed my hand gun.

“Do you have a permit for that?” She smirked.

“I’m not inclined to say that I don’t.” I replied. “Let’s say I do.”

“We’ll talk about that later.”

“You know I can’t bribe you Eudora.”

After turning the corner, we turned silent. We heard noises coming from a room. We exchanged glances and she motioned for me to get behind her. She drew her gun, listening for the noise. I saw the cleaning lady and asked for the keycard silently. I handed it to the detective who carefully opened the door. She first peeked inside and I followed.

When I saw Klaus my heart dropped. I quickly ran over him allowing my energy to flow through him. He gestured over at the bathroom. I gestured him to stay quiet as I removed the duct tape on his mouth. Patch looked at me and I nodded, confirming Klaus was Diego’s brother.

“Hey it’s alright I’m here.” I felt sorry that I suspected him. My heart broke when I saw his tortured form.

“Mary you should get out of here.” He started as I removed his bindings. I shook my head. He stood and the detective motioned for us to stay at the side. My hands shook as I saw the bathroom door open. I pushed Klaus aside and drew my gun.

“I need to make sure she’ll be safe.” I told him and stood closer to Eudora. I kept my hand on her.

“Police!” The detective exclaimed. “Drop the gun or you’re going down!”

We watched as the man who assaulted the Academy came into light. Eudora and I approached the man. I was careful to keep my hand on her, not wanting any surprises. The man raised his hands and knelt, his hands behind his head. The detective approached him and I shifted my gaze from him to Klaus who was escaping through the vent. “Hurry! I’ll see you in the Academy.”

A gunshot echoed through the room. The detective fell limp on my arms. I cursed and had my power surge through her. I kept my hand on her pulse as the two gunmen approached me. One placed a gun to my head.

Another gunshot was heard.

I blinked and looked around. I watched Klaus escape to the buses and I followed him phasing through the walls.

Wait.

I stopped as he looked at me horrified. I looked at the familiar figure beside him. It was Ben.

**Number Five**

“When’s it supposed to happen?” Luther asked me. “This apocalypse.”

“I can’t give you the exact hour but…” I paused. “From what I can gather we have four days left.”

“Why didn’t you say something sooner?” I expected this. I avoided his gaze.

“It wouldn’t have mattered.”

“Of course it would.” Luther said frustrated. I shook my head. “We could have banded together to stop this thing.”

“For the record you already tried.” I remember the sight of their bodies buried underneath all the rubble. It made me sick.

“What do you mean?”

“I found all of you.” I hesitated, my voice getting heavy. “Your bodies.”

I looked down. “We die?”

“Horribly.” I continued. “You were all together trying to stop whoever it was that ends the world.”

“Wait. How do you know that?” I reached for the glass eye in my pocket.

“This was clutched in your dead hand when I found you.” I took the eye out from its cloth and tossed it over to Luther. “Must’ve ripped it out their head before you went down.”

“Whose head?”

“Like I said. I don’t know.” I explained further how it was a dead end. I was infuriated that I had wasted time on something that could’ve been a lead. Soon enough Diego storms into the room.

“Piece of shit.” He cursed and I looked up. “Do you have any idea what you just did?”

He charged towards me. He struggled when Luther kept him away from me. Luther held him, insisting he could do this as long as needed for him to calm down. I was confused. Diego soon enough settles down and gave me a glare.

“Our brother’s been pretty busy since he got back.” Diego had poison latched into every word. “He was in the middle of that shootout at Griddy’s, and then at Gimble Brothers after the guys in masks attacked the Academy looking for him.”

He pointed at me accusingly. I brushed it off. “None of which is any of your concern.”

“It is now.” He shivered with anger. “They just killed my friend.”

“Who are they Five?” Luther turned to me.

“And Mary.” Diego continued his every word stitched with venom. I felt my eyes widen. “Is it your business now Five?”

My eyes widened. No. No. No. No. NO. She wasn’t supposed to leave the Academy. She promised. What could’ve possibly made her leave?

Klaus. She was crazy about Klaus.

Luther looked down.

“They work for my former employer.” I started. “Mary was supposed to die when I arrived. Luckily enough I saved her from the car crash. She was supposed to stay at the Academy. I told her. When your friend interfered… well it was fair game.”

The apocalypse was coming. Mary’s death was definitely key. When Diego stormed off Luther looked at me wordlessly.

**Klaus Hargreeves**

When I went back to my room I saw some of Mary’s clothes on the floor, a reminder of what we had done before everything. I sighed grabbing the small blouse a small smile on my lips. Dave and Mary were both shot in the chest when they departed. I remembered her confessing her feelings to me before she died and how I was simply at a loss for words, escaping the reality of what she had told me. I hadn’t known love before I met Dave.

I saw her coat on the floor, a device on top of it. It looked like the mobile she gave me. I opened it and saw myself on the screen, with her. My hands shook. It was a picture back when we were 16. My chest felt heavy.

“Klaus!” she whined. I remembered she had this ridiculous set of bangs that covered her forehead. She was wearing braces back then if I had recalled. I was dragging her to a photo booth and grinned at her. She shook her head.

“Long night.” I heard Five remark.

“Yeah.” I replied grabbing a shirt and putting it over my head, letting the clean cloth slide down my body.

“Don’t remember the dog tags.”

“They were a friend’s.”

“How about that new tattoo?”

I turned at him, feeling exhausted.

“You know I don’t totally remember even getting it.” I said dismissively raising my hand, gesturing for him to leave. “Like I said, it was a long night.”

“You did it didn’t you?” Five’s voice had sounded sleek. I didn’t really want to be a part of this.

“What are you talking about?”

“You know I can recognize the symptoms Klaus.” Five walked over towards me.

“Symptoms of what?” I sat down and cupped my head in my hands.

“The jetlag, the full body itch.” He started. “Headache that feels like someone shoved a box of cotton up into your nose and through you brain.”

“Would you mind telling me about it?”

“Your pals, when they broke into the house and they couldn’t find you. They took me hostage instead.” I looked at him firmly. “They shot Mary. I saw her before I left. I saw her spirit Five.”

I was horrified at the sight of Mary’s spirit. She had a hole through her chest and she blinked unknowingly. She looked straight at Ben who also looked at her surprised. She turned to me.

“Klaus! I’m-!”

She disappeared.

I couldn’t believe what I just said. Mary was dead.


	10. Remember Me

**Klaus Hargeeves**

My phone rang as I sit on the passenger seat of Diego’s car. Mary gave it to me a couple years back. I have been so tempted to pawn it away many times but I couldn’t stand to see Mary’s sad face again. She did so without trying to show. When I was with other men and women she would look the other way but with that small pout tugging on her lips. I looked at it weakly and saw that it was Vanessa. I closed my eyes. Right. Mary was dead. We just got off of the Veteran’s bar and I felt exhausted, seeing Dave’s picture. Oh how I missed him.

The phone kept ringing and I reluctantly grabbed it, answering the call.

“I’m sure you know by now. Mary’s dead.” I heard from the other side. “I looked at her call logs. I wasn’t sure if you were alive too but the police only reported two bodies.”

I stayed silent.

“Anyway Mary sent me her will before she passed. She changed it. She wants you to have the penthouse. She also left you a sum. A huge sum. Nearly half her net worth.”

What did it matter?

“She also left you her mom’s old house.”

What? I sat up. “That can’t be right. It got lost in the fire.”

“She had it fixed. It’s open if you want to visit it.”

She dropped the call. Did I?

“Diego can we make a small detour again? It’s going to be quick I swear.” I said tiredly.

“Okay but we have to be quick.” Diego comments. “Where to?”

“Mary’s old house.” I replied.

“Why?” Diego raised a brow, though he reached a turning point and made a U-turn.

“Mary gave it to me in her will.” I continued.

“Huh. That’s not much of a surprise.” Diego comments.

Soon enough we arrived. I remembered all of us sneaking to go here if it wasn’t Griddy’s. Miss Lane was happy enough to give us snacks and put on the TV for us. Mary would get all excited. I remembered being jealous of the loving family she had. I often wondered if it was more painful to have everything and lose it or to never have had it at all?

It was a bit cleaner than before. The quaint house had an old feel to it. I opened the gate and opened the front door, revealing a familiar warm place. The fireplace, the little table beside the door to hold the keys and the portrait of Mary and her mother brought back memories. I entered the hallway and peeked at the living room to the left. It had the same carpet in the middle, a huge TV at one of the corners and the sun peeked through the thin curtains. It looked like Mary kept this place cleaned even though no one was living in it. I journeyed forward and to the right was the kitchen. I remembered Miss Lane preparing us all snacks there. There would be the sweet aroma of apple pie emanating from that room. I travelled upstairs and there were five rooms. I remembered that one was for Mary, one for her mom, one for her grandmother who passed away when we were all young, a guestroom and an office. I went to the first room to the right. It was Mary’s. I opened the room to see all of her old things there. It was painted blue and had those glow in the dark sticker stars on the ceiling. She had a record player on the corner and a couple vynils below it.

Mary liked swing and jazz.

Beside her bedside table was a picture of me and her. There was one of her and Vanya and one of her and Ben. I missed those days. I looked at the picture of the younger versions of ourselves fondly. I felt tears prickle my eyes.

Mary tried so hard to fix me.

I couldn’t use her like that. I couldn’t. She was special.

“Did you love her?” Ben was beside me, looking at me. I sniffed.

“Yeah.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter for now! Cheers.


	11. The Immortal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plot twist

**Mary Lane**

I smiled as I tossed the pancake up the air. The vinyl record played Frankie Valli and the Four Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You in the background and I hummed to its joyful tune. I felt serenity as I swayed to the song, waiting for the pancakes to cook through. When they were done I grabbed my spatula and neatly stacked the pancakes on top of each other.

Perfect.

I turned to the dining table. I saw Klaus making airplane sounds with his mouth as an adorable young girl followed the spoon in his hand, excited.

You’re just too good to be true

I can’t take my eyes off of you

I set the stack of pancakes down on the table. Green eyes looked at me lovingly as the young toddler chewed her food.

“Honey she’s got quite the appetite.” Said Klaus. I laughed and kissed his forehead.

“I think she takes that from you.” I grinned. He pretended to look offended.

“Me?”

“Of course you.” Another familiar voice interjected. I saw the soft eyes of my mother dressed in her usual corporate attire. The greys on her head were multiplying. I frowned at the thought she was getting older. “I doubt she’d inherit anything bad from Mary.”

She sat on the table, reading the paper. I rolled my eyes.

“I love you too mother dear.” Klaus retorted with a smile. I giggled and stood back up wanting to get juice and coffee. A hand stopped me.

You'd be like heaven to touch  
I wanna hold you so much

The man offered me his hand. I took it and he spun me into and embrace, our eyes locking together.

And long last love has arrived  
And I thank God I'm alive

The music slowed the moment. I felt my heart beat against my chest loudly.

You're just too good to be true  
Can't take my eyes off of you

I felt his hand travel down my back as he held my other hand. I closed my eyes taking in his touch.

Pardon the way that I stare  
Nothing else to compare  
The sign of you usually weak  
There are no words left to speak

I looked around. The house was gone and the spotlight was on both of us. I stared into my husband’s eyes as his hand snaked down my waist. A piercing head ache suddenly jolted through my mind and I saw my childhood home crumble before the fire. I blinked and returned to the moment, not wanting to spoil any of this.

But if you feel like I feel please  
Let me know that it's real

You're just too good to be true  
Can't take my eyes off of you

The saxophones picked up and I felt like the beat synced with my heart beat. I looked at my left hand in my partner’s a silver band on my ring finger. A smile on his lips as we started dancing. I smiled and relished in the light feeling in my heart. When I closed my eyes a memory played before me.

“Mary understand that this is to improve your powers.” Reginald started polishing his revolver. I closed my eyes and nodded. “The faith of the world hinges on the growth of your powers.”

I nodded.

“The lives of the entire world rest on the growth of your powers.”

I nodded.

“The lives of my children rest on the growth of your powers.”

I nodded.

A gunshot was heard.

I love you baby and if it's quite all right  
I need you baby to warm your lonely night

Our feet synced as he led the dance. A memory flashed before my eyes. I saw myself working late nights at the office, the soft light of my computer the only source of light. I saw my eyes tired and heavy. I was alone. I shook my head and focused on the smiling man before me.

I love you baby trust in me when I say  
Oh pretty baby don't bring me down I pray  
Oh pretty baby come on and find you stay

He spun me around and when I fully turned I felt myself fall into his arms as he leaned forward, catching me in his embrace. I blinked and saw myself lying naked in bed alone, clutching the warm empty spot beside me. My eyes despaired at the loneliness. I felt the pain seep back into my chest.

And let me love you baby let me love you  
You’re just too good to be true

Death count: 52

I woke up with a jolt to my veins, electricity surging my core. I gritted my teeth with pain. I felt my power fight death. I can feel every function of my body slowly halting, the sting of electricity overwhelming my senses. And I was dead again.  
Death count: 53

My spirit looked at my limp body. I looked at the woman who examined me, she placed a hand on my pulse and looked at her partner.

“Think she’s finally dead?” The woman asks. The other man shrugs.

“Let’s see and find out.” He says.

“The book says she’s that crazy family’s closest friend. Turns out she’s a freak too.” The woman says she brings out my wallet. If my face can pale it would. “Looks like she and the other freak are lovers. Explains why she went here.”

I felt my soul being pulled back to my body.

I saw a fair skinned woman with a clean cut bob remove a jumper cable from a car battery. I looked at the pair before me. These idiots saw me when I reanimated and tried escaping the hotel.

“I thought for sure I had you already.” I heard as I felt sweat pour from my temple down to my neck. “This freak won’t die. Hazel. That surge should’ve stopped her heart.”

“But she can feel pain.” A familiar voice replied. It was that guy. The guy who attacked the Academy. “Why are you even surprised at this point? She took a bullet to the chest and she’s still alive.”

“By the amount of times she died I doubt she can still feel the pain.” The woman looked at me. Our eyes locked before another surge of electricity stopped my heart.

I saw my dead body before me again. I grasped my ghostly arms and cried. I comforted myself and closed my eyes. The sting of death lingered on me. I looked at the scene before me. My lifeless body hung limp on the floor. I saw my body reconstruct itself. I collapsed to the ground gripping my arms. I sobbed. I didn’t want to go back and leave again. Let me pass on and just get it over wi—

“Doesn’t matter.” The woman said looking at me intently. “She’ll be a great bargaining chip to use for Five. She’s a healer of some sorts.”

“That explains why she could take my punches like it was nothing.”

“Five isn’t going to look for me.” I grunted. I felt another jolt of electricity run through me and I gritted my teeth.

“Don’t lie.”

I saw my body again. I wanted to scream and yell but no one would hear me. I just wanted everything to end or at the very least be numb to the pain. I felt my soul come back but my body wasn’t awake. I was going to dream again. I was back in the fire. The fire that claimed my mother. I saw my 13 year old self in the burning building, debris falling as the fire surrounded us. My mom lied lifelessly on the floor, a column had fell on her. I was screaming and my hands were glowing a faint blue, channelling everything I had to my mother when a huge chunk of debris fell on my head. A blink of blue light and I saw Five grab my limp form and blinked away.

Death Count: 54

“There’s no fucking point. I can’t die.” I was back to the chair.

“You’re coming back faster.” The woman took my coat out and opened my wallet. In there was a picture of me and Five when we were 13. I also had a picture of Ben and I reading together with me the only one looking at the camera. Beside it was a picture of me and Klaus. “We know you’re awfully close to Five and his freak of a brother.”

“So what? I’m dead to them.” I said bitterly. I felt another surge of electricity.

My spirit stared at my body again. I couldn’t help but remember these things when I was younger. My private training with Reginald Hargreeves.

I would watch my limp body recover, scared. I felt every bit of the pain death welcomed. I was overwhelmed. I wanted to scream and shout but I remember that this was for the world, for Vanessa and for my friends.

When it would take a while for me to live again I would walk around the Academy, watching the others in my ghostly state. I forgot that Klaus can see me when I’m like this one day.

“Mary. I thought you were training with Dad.” He told me, bobbing his head to the side. I placed my hands to my chest, covering the bullet hole.

“Yeah I am. I was just taking a break.” I replied. I shouldn’t tell him.

This would continue. We would spend my training sessions playing as I wait for my soul to be returned to my body. Sometimes I would just lie on his bed while he smoked a joint, keeping the ghosts at bay. He told me of how he got some of it and sometimes he would tell me the most random shit.

I loved those moments.

Klaus saved me from the insanity of revisiting death over and over again. Talking to him as a ghost saved me. Before I knew it I found myself loving the boy. The only boy who could see me in the other side. The days it used to take me to recover would take hours until it turned into minutes.

My captors cuffed my hands and tied my feet and legs. I winced at how tight they did it.

“The more you struggle the more it’s going to dig into your skin.” The woman remarked. They put duct tape on my mouth but I fought back and bit the woman’s hand.

“Bitch.” She growled and pointed a gun to my head, shooting.

Death Count: 55

I flashed her the finger, as a spirit. I felt myself going back.

I glared at them as they covered my head with a black cloth. I felt myself being carried and shoved to the trunk of a car. I soon wished I had died in my supposed death in that hotel room. Why can’t I die simpler deaths? I had wondered. I could’ve died with that bullet in my heart but my body had the tendency to react to threats weirdly. I closed my eyes, cursing myself. I begged in whatever high power there was that Five would figure out that these people didn’t know how to kill me.

The car came to a halt. I waited patiently for my escape from this hot garbage heap. I couldn’t breathe. I bit my lip feeling myself slowly pass out from the heat and lack of oxygen.

Death Count: 56

I was crying in the office clutching the necklace Klaus gave me when we were kids. I remembered. I remembered weeping for the dream I had abandoned. Abandoned because of the debt I thought I owed to my mother. I had remembered it dying every single day I didn’t pursue it and the only fire of its existence was in the necklace.

Soon the sun shone bright when the trunk opened but the black cloth remained on my head. They removed it and I saw Five and Luther.

“Mary!” Five exclaimed as Luther held the younger man back.

“This is so there’s no funny business.” The woman says. The man points a gun to my head. I rolled my eyes before realizing that none of them knew I was practically immortal.

I heard the familiar sound of an ice cream truck. I turned my head to look over the horizon squinted on the vehicle that was slowly coming into view. What the fuck?

“Mary?!” It was Klaus and Diego. I looked back at my two captors. The woman shot and I felt a bullet pass through my head as I fell on the ground.

Death Count: 57

My spirit appeared again, looking at the body. Klaus looked at me disbelievingly. I blinked and saw Ben beside him.

And my spirit was back again.

I felt someone carry me again but this time it was someone more familiar. Luther placed me in the back seat. Klaus sat beside me and then Diego. Everything happened so fast as Luther drove away. Klaus removed the duct tape in my mouth and I breathed heavily. I shivered and remembered the pain of my many deaths surge through me. I sobbed.

“Mary.” I heard Klaus hush as he tried hugging me. I pushed him away, wiping the tears and pulling my knees to my chest. I gripped my head and closed my eyes, remembering the moments my heart stopped. Remembering every tear of my body trying to reconstruct itself and prolonging the pain and agony of dying and dying.

“Mary.” I heard Diego. I looked at him and then felt guilty. I remembered. Eudora.

“Diego I’m so sorry.” I told him. “I-I was s-s-supposed to keep Eudora alive. W-we didn’t see the o-other one c-c-coming. I kept her alive for as long as I could.”

“Mary. Mary.” He hushed. “You did what you could. You could’ve been dead.”

“I SHOULD HAVE.” I yelled gripping my head. “I should be dead. I should have been dead 13 years ago I should have been dead 17 years ago. I can’t die!”

I sobbed feeling the tears mix with the sweat and grime on my cheeks.

“I should have been dead. Mom should be alive! Ben should be alive! Eudora should be alive! If this fucking power worked right I could have kept them alive.” I can feel my screams hurt my throat.

“Mary! Calm down!” Diego raised his voice.

“Don’t you get it Diego?! My power only keeps me alive! I tried to keep Eudora alive but they killed me. I couldn’t give it to someone else. Eudora is dead because I couldn’t keep her alive!” I screamed. Klaus held me down and I thrashed.

“Diego! Put her to sleep!” Luther called from the front.

The last thing I saw was Diego hitting me in the head.


	12. Alone

I was in a bed. I felt groggy. I blinked and looked around, there was rubble everywhere. Where am I? Everything was destroyed. I looked at my hands and examined my body. I was fine. I stood and walked around, careful. What happened? Is this the apocalypse that Five mentioned? I gulped, feeling dread at the pit of my stomach. I looked around and among the rubble I saw.

I ran towards the bodies beneath the rubble. I removed the stones slowly and revealed Allison’s body. I froze. No. I cleared more of the rubble in a frenzied manner and saw Luther. No.

Diego.

NO

I looked around until I saw him in his signature cloak. A pain started building in my chest. It was heavy and it felt like it was twisting my very heart. I felt tears run through my cheeks as I ran to him trying to surge my power to him.

I knew it was no use.

There was no fucking point.

I screamed. I screamed but no one would hear me. This was my fault. I was supposed to prevent the apocalypse. I should’ve died with everyone else.

But I didn’t.

I started clawing at my skin, making it bleed. I dug my nails and relished in the sting it gave me. I tried clawing at it further, sinking my nails deeper and deeper. My power was fighting back. I kept on damaging myself.

Then I woke up.

I was in my room. I looked around, my eyes heavy. There was a warmth beside me. I turned to see Klaus, sleeping on my bedside. He looked different. I felt the pain in my chest again. It was a pretty graphic nightmare. I groaned and sat up. I combed my hair with my fingers and slapped both of my cheeks with my palms. I sighed and rested my hands on my knees.

Death wasn’t a new concept to me. I admit.

I wonder how strong my powers were now. I thought. It didn’t matter. I can’t bring back the dead. I placed my hand on Klaus’ head, stroking his hair. A small smile on my lips.

It scared me. The idea that everyone might be gone sometime. I didn’t know when the apocalypse is but I hope I can find a way to die before that happens.

“Mary?” Klaus stirred. I let my hand off of his head as he sat up properly. “You’re awake.”

“Regretfully.” I replied. I looked down and saw that I was out of my bloody clothing and in a large white t-shirt. Was this Diego’s or Luther’s? Probably Diego’s.

“Come on. Don’t say that.” He said tiredly clasping my hands. “I’m glad you’re alive. Pogo explained everything to us. He told us about your training sessions with Dad.”

That makes one of us. I would’ve liked to say but I kept my mouth shut. He kissed my hands and rested his head on them.

“What happened to you?” I questioned, not bothering to move.

“It’s a long story.” He murmured.

“I’ve got the time.” I replied. He sighed and let go of my hands.

“After you got shot in the hotel room I escaped through the vents. I’m sorry but I couldn’t handle seeing your ghost.”

He winced.

“I took a briefcase I saw hidden there and thought it had money or I could pawn it or some shit. I open it and next thing I knew is I’m in A Shau Valley in the Vietnam War.”

“You time travelled?” I said disbelievingly.

“Yeah. I stayed there for about a year.” Klaus continued.

“A year?” I emphasized. He nodded.

“I met this beautiful man. His name was Dave.” Klaus had a longing to his voice. “Oh Mary he taught me a love so pure. So real.”

I saw tears build up in his eyes. I wiped the corners of his eyes with my thumbs.

“He was so pure. So kind and strong.” He continued on. “We were in the front lines one day and he I lost him. He got shot in the chest. That’s when I came back.”

I digested the story. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy. Here I am knowing Klaus nearly my entire life and a stranger taught him love more so than I could ever. I felt jealous of the fact that Klaus had loved someone so deep. He had changed Klaus in more ways I could never have done. I knew that Klaus was Dave’s as Dave was Klaus’. I gave him a weak smile and pressed my lips on his forehead.

“I’m glad you found love.” I said softly. He held my hand.

“Mary I wanted to say sorry.” Klaus started. “For leaving you whenever we were together. For running off when you confessed to me your feelings.”

I shook my head. “It’s okay.”

“It’s not. I know that now.” Klaus sighed and closed his eyes. “Dave taught me so many things.”

He opened his eyes and looked at me.

“Mary I-“

I pressed my index finger to his lips and shook my head.

“Don’t say it.” I said weakly. “Please don’t say it.”

He moved my hand and gave me a confused look.

“Why?”

I just shook my head, pleading with my eyes. I took a deep breath. I have been waiting to hear those words since I was a teenager. Those three words from Klaus was what I strove for. I did everything for it, even with the knowledge that I might very well never hear them.

And now I if I hear those words I would remember hearing them from my mother.

_“I love you sweetheart.”_

From my grandmother.

_“I love you my little pumpkin.”_

From Ben

_“I love you.” He stuck his tongue out. “As a friend.”_

_“It would be weird if it was anything else.” I grinned._

“Mary.” I heard him say, cupping my cheek with one hand as he leaned in closer to me. I feel my breath hitch when I felt his warmth radiate towards me. We have kissed many times before.

What makes this any different?

When I felt his lips against mine a vision resurfaced.

It was his body, strewn against a pile of rubble. His eyes were lifeless.

I winced and pulled away, gripping my head.

“Mary?” He climbed onto the bed as tears streamed through my cheeks. I felt his arms wrap around me and he hummed. His hand combed through my hair as I sobbed. I rested my head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

I feared the day where this sound of life would go silent.

Just like everyone else.


End file.
